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The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.
Published December 25, 2024
‘Ozark Law’ debuts on A&E January 8, 2025
LAKE OF THE OZARKS - “Ozark Law” a new 10-episode A&E television series featuring the Osage Beach Police Department and the Lake Ozark Police Department, will debut to a nationwide audience in early January.
A documentary crew rode along with lake-area law enforcement last summer for an inside look at how a team of small-town officers handles the tens of thousands of tourists who descend upon Lake of the Ozarks.
The official description from A&E is below:
“For nine months of the year, the peaceful towns around central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks are home to just a few thousand residents. However, when summer arrives, millions of tourists flock to the area, seeking fun on the water and vibrant nightlife in the bars. This surge transforms the serene environment into a bustling hub, putting extra pressure on local law enforcement. “Ozark Law” joins the Lake Ozark Police Department and Osage Beach Police Department on their daily patrols, witnessing firsthand the challenges they face in maintaining order and ensuring safety in this lively midwestern destination.”
“We’re fortunate to live in a place of natural beauty where people want to visit,” said Osage Beach Police Chief Todd Davis. “But when the population rapidly multiplies literally overnight, it presents unique challenges for our officers. The series shows how dedicated we are to serving the Osage Beach community.”
The unscripted, documentary-style show features law enforcement with the City of Osage Beach and Lake Ozark.
Production company Lucky 8 approached both cities earlier this year for permission to shadow officers on daily patrols. Filming with Osage Beach officers wrapped in early fall.
It was stated at a board meeting earlier this year that officers volunteer to be part of the show and it is not mandatory that any officer participate.
At that meeting in June, a representative from Lucky 8 was at the meeting explaining what they will be doing. This is not a “Cops” style TV show and it is not a reality show but more of a documentary.
The representative said they do not do “Reality” television. All of their programs are distributed by Arts and Entertainment (A&E) network.
The company has many shows under their belt with a few being:
One of the problems the board brought out is what if an episode shows either police department in a negative light, does the city have editorial rights? The answer is no but no episodes will air without the city reviewing them first.
It was stated that a representative from Lucky 8 will meet with city officials including the police chiefs to view a pretty much completed episode and listen to any concerns. Changes can be made but the final decision is up to Lucky 8.
One example that was presented to the board at that June meeting was a sheriff in another state that participated in a Lucky 8 production complained about all the bad language from his officers that was in the episode. To make everyone happy Lucky 8 silenced the bad language and the episode aired.
That was one example on how the company works with the law enforcement they are filming. If the series turns out to be something that the city doesn’t like, there is one simple solution: all officers can refuse to work with the company and the production ends.
“Ozark Law” is produced by Lucky 8 for A&E Network. The first episode airs Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 9:00 p.m. Central Time.
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