By Moriah Balingit
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — A local cable TV program is turning couch potatoes into crime stoppers.
In April, tips from viewers of “Fugitive Files On Demand,” a program that allows Comcast digital cable subscribers to view photos and profiles of the Allegheny County sheriff’s 10 most wanted fugitives, have helped the sheriff’s office nab four fugitives featured on the program.
The program also surpassed replays of Penguins games to become the most-watched local On Demand program in the Three Rivers region, which includes Western Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland.
Allegheny County’s “Fugitive Files” is the fifth program of its kind. It was piloted by the Maryland State Police in 2006. The Philadelphia Police Department and the Delaware State Police developed programs last year and the Richmond, Va., Police Department started its program last month. The production costs of all programs are covered by Comcast.
Chief Deputy Joe Rizzo of the Allegheny County sheriff’s office said the program has helped catch suspects who are out in the open and move frequently.
“It’s [fugitives] that are more transient. It’s hard to pin down where they are,” he said. “These tips are good because they give us information on where the arrestee was staying.”
Philadelphia police could not say exactly how many of the fugitives on its “Police Blotter on Demand” have been apprehended as a result of the program, because people that call in anonymous tips do not indicate where they heard about a fugitive.
But Capt. John Gallagher of the department’s major crimes unit said at least 10 of the suspects who have “starred” on the program have been arrested and that the program has attracted up to 33,000 viewers per month.
“It’s definitely got to be a part of the equation,” he said.
On Philadelphia’s version of the show, viewers are shown vignettes in which police explain the crime the fugitive is suspected of, along with video of the crime scene. The fugitives featured on the program are often murder suspects.
The program’s high production value makes it more like a crime drama than a public service announcement, and Capt. Gallagher believes it attracts more viewers and increases the chances that they will call in a tip.
He called it “reality TV at its best.”
“We actually have a police supervisor talk about the background of the incident that led to person being a fugitive ... filmed where the murder occurred,” he said. “Nothing comes as close to reality as ‘Police Blotter.’”
He added that fictional police dramas have left the public enamored with crime shows, making programs like “Police Blotter” and “Fugitives on File” popular.
Jody Doherty, a spokeswoman for Comcast, said the show appeals to viewers’ desire to help their community.
“There’s such a sense of community in our region and I think people do look out for each other and ... that’s part of it,” she said.
Ms. Doherty is working with law enforcement agencies, including the Pennsylvania State Police, to expand the program to other areas.
Copyright 2008 The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette