A production company out of New York City followed police officers all day Wednesday taking video for a reality TV show about the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department.
As the police department is busy investigating Monday's shootout in front of The Copa Bar and Grille, their every move is being recorded as part of a reality show.
"Our goal is to generate additional revenue to reduce additional layoffs so we can save some of the jobs we're losing due to cutbacks," said Pocono Mountain Police Chief Harry Lewis.
The department lost six officers in a year and Chief Lewis said this show could prevent further cuts if it's picked up by a network.
"The crime doesn't change because of the amount of cops you have on the street. So the people here have to work a lot more and a lot harder," said Chief Lewis.
That's one reason why a New York City production crew wanted to create a reality show based on Pocono Mountain Regional.
"I'm thinking 'Andy of Mayberry', right? There's going to be two cops and a chief and they're going to be sitting in their desks. We get up here and find out there's shootings, there's drugs, there's SWAT, there's K-9, they're doing everything the NYPD does in rural America," said Georgia Hilton, the CEO of Hilton Media Management.
The crew came just in time as the department is actively investigating the shooting on Monday outside The Copa Bar and Grille in Mount Pocono. Nearly two dozen bullets sprayed the area and two people were shot.
"We're out attempting to locate additional witnesses and there's some proactive steps we're going to take later on to talk to some people," said Chief Lewis.
If the network picks up the show, crews of about five people will be riding along with the officers, following them and taping their every move for about four months. Also, the crews will install dashboard cameras just so they capture every move.
If it's picked up, the reality show producer is more than willing to share some of the profits with the department.
"I'm ex-military, and have a police background. I think police departments, like teachers and firemen, are always underfed, under appreciated and it's time somebody gave something back," said Hilton.
The timeline for this show to hit the airwaves depends on if or when the network picks up the show.
The production company will send in Wednesday's episode in two months.
The company then hopes to start full time production as soon as May.
