By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Stuart Bishop, a former Lawrence, Indiana, police officer who appeared on the television series “Live PD,” was arrested without incident this week and is being held on a requested charge of felony intimidation.
- Authorities allege Bishop sent targeted, threatening text messages to current Lawrence police officers.
- An internal Lawrence Police memo obtained by WTHR warned officers that Bishop was “armed and dangerous” and urged extreme caution.
- A search warrant at his home turned up Lawrence Police equipment but no department weapons.
- Bishop resigned from the department after a June arrest on an alleged DUI; he is presumed innocent of all charges.
GREENFIELD, Ind. — A former Lawrence police officer who appeared on “Live PD” was arrested this week and is being held on a requested charge of felony intimidation over threatening messages allegedly sent to current officers, WTHR reported.
Stuart Bishop was taken into custody without incident, according to the station. Authorities allege he sent “targeted” threatening text messages to Lawrence police officers. An internal department memo obtained by WTHR cautioned officers that Bishop was “armed and dangerous” and instructed them to use extreme caution if they encountered him. A search warrant executed at his home recovered Lawrence Police equipment but no department firearms.
Lawrence Police told WTHR that Bishop resigned from the department after being arrested in June on an alleged DUI. Court documents from that case state that a Greenfield officer saw Bishop driving erratically before a June 20 traffic stop and noted a smell of alcohol and difficulty keeping his balance. The filings allege Bishop consented to a field sobriety test, which showed signs of impairment, and a preliminary breath test that registered alcohol. They further allege he became verbally abusive after officers obtained a blood draw by warrant, and was angry that the officer did not call a ride for him or let him park his vehicle instead of arresting him.
Greenfield Police Deputy Chief Chuck McMichael told IndyStar the department believes Bishop is struggling with mental health issues.
Bishop served in the Lawrence Police K-9 unit, according to web records, and has a social media following of nearly 100,000 on X. He made multiple appearances on “Live PD.” The charge is a request and has not yet been formally filed.