From The Farmington, New Mexico Daily Times:
Navajo cops to star in TV show
By Alysa Landryalandry@daily-times.com
Posted: 03/10/2012 01:00:00 AM MST
FARMINGTON — Navajo police officers patrol more than 17 million acres, watch over a population of 180,000 and have to balance modern law enforcement with ancient customs. To the 330 men and women in uniform, that’s daily life on America’s largest Indian reservation.
But to a team of Los Angeles-based writers and producers, it sounded like a television show in the making.
“Navajo Cops” premieres at 8 p.m. local time Monday [March 12, 2012] on the National Geographic Channel. It’s a joint effort between the Navajo Division of Public Safety and Flight 33 Productions.
“I think one of the most eye-opening things for us was that, if you live in a big city, you’re used to police officers having partners, working in pairs,” said Sam Dolan, producer, director and one of the writers for the show. “On Navajo, they’re out there by themselves. There could be 50 miles in between officers. They make huge sacrifices, and it’s a very dangerous job.”
The days are relentless, Dolan said. The Navajo police force, chronically understaffed and overworked, faces giant obstacles in terms of geography and manpower.
After a pilot episode featuring the Navajo officers aired in May, Flight 33 Productions got the green light to produce six more episodes. Crews filmed officers at work in some of the bigger communities on the reservation, including Shiprock and Crownpoint in the New Mexico portion, and Window Rock, Kayenta, Chinle and Tuba City, Ariz., Dolan said. Filming took place during the summer and early autumn.
“We went pretty much everywhere on the Navajo Nation,” he said. “We did
work in most of the police districts.”
The film crew rode with about 30 officers, Dolan said, but the show focuses on half a dozen men and women the crew followed closely. Those officers allowed cameras into their personal lives, as well read more…
Navajo Nation Website
NationalGeographic.Com
National Geographic – Navajo Cops TV Schedule
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