WISCONSIN RAPIDS − The Wood County Jail and its corrections officers are getting a shot at stardom as a crew from the “COPS” television show began filming Sept. 23 in the newly opened structure.
Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker said he was in college back in the 1990s. “COPS” first came on air in March 1989 and the show was popular while Becker was in school, he said.
“It personally gave me an interest in law enforcement,” Becker said.
Becker said he had always thought it would be a good opportunity, if he ever got the chance to bring the TV show to central Wisconsin. Recently, he got that chance.
John La Count, left, and Mark Hollensteiner, from COPS/JAIL Langley Production, are filming in the Wood County Jail for future episodes of the show.
Becker spent two weeks at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia. The training, put on by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is free to the county and allows for networking among law enforcement administration, Becker said. Becker met Lt. Gene Harley, from Chatham, Georgia, during the training and they’ve kept in touch, Becker said.
Recently, Becker got a call from Harley. “COPS” was shooting in Harley’s area and was looking for other sites to shoot episodes featuring a jail. Harley wanted to know if Becker was interested in hosting them.
Becker said he thought it would be a good opportunity to get recognition for the new Wood County Jail and, more importantly, to highlight corrections officers who work in jails locally and nationally. He checked with Wood County Board members to make sure there weren’t any objections and then said yes to bringing the show to Wood County.
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Becker said the show’s producer came to Wood County, toured the jail and said they wanted to shoot some episodes here. The show started filming Sept. 23 and Becker expects them to be filming for several weeks.
Becker said he does not know when the shows will air, but hopes to have that information when the crew finishes filming at the jail.
Contact Karen Madden at kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: COPS TV in Wood County: Why the show filmed in Wisconsin Rapids