Four women from the Phoenix' Maricopa County Sheriff's Office are starring in "Police Women of Maricopa County," a four-episode reality series airing on cable network TLC, says the Arizona Republic. The show offers a glimpse into the women's family lives, but it accentuates their tough sides. Sometimes, the language is too tough for the sheriff's office. "I have no problem Tasing an 80-year-old," Deputy Kelly Bocardo says in one line that was edited out of an episode at the request of the Sheriff's Office.
Lisa Allen, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's media-relations director, said the line was taken out of context in the show. "We don't want our people looking abrasive or inappropriate or offensive," she said. "We took out anything that we thought might make things look inaccurate and inappropriate." Other scenes edited out of the first episode at the request of the sheriff include Deputy Amie Duong pointing her weapon at the head of a suspect, and several lines from Deputy Lindsey Smith. At one point, Smith says, "We are looking for the human smuggling vehicle. Once we spot them, we're going after them." The program is modeled after a similar show filmed in Broward County, Fl., where the Sheriff's Office said community members gave it positive reviews. "Especially for younger girls, we did get a lot of letters about what a positive influence it was for them to see professional women juggling their personal lives with their kids and having a career," said sheriff's spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion.
