After 25 years at Fox, ‘Cops’ moves to Spike

“Cops” has been on Fox about as long as “The Simpsons,” but while Matt Groening’s animated hit is still going, the reality series that follows police officers on their daily rounds is moving to a new home. It’ll debut on Spike TV in the fall.

According to TV Guide, the series is making the leap from network to cable after Fox’s continual postponing of the show in favor of sports programming spurred series executive producer John Langley to seek a change.

The show’s 26th season is expected to premiere on Spike in September with episodes filmed in California, Texas and Florida.

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Spike has also reached a deal to air older episodes of “Cops” with the new ones.

The show’s simple format -- follow local police on their nightly patrols and record what happens -- has allowed it to remain fresh and retain a steady audience over more than two decades. The series debuted on March 11, 1989, after a writers strike forced the TV networks to look around for alternate forms of programming. It has since filmed in 140 American communities and in locations as diverse as London, Hong Kong and the former Soviet Union.

It has aired on Saturday nights since its debut, and is expected to remain on Saturday nights when it arrives on Spike.

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