CHECK OUT SOCIAL MEDIA most weekend nights and chances are you ’ ll see someone talking about “ Live PD .”
That ’ s because A & E ’ s hit show frequently features the Jeffersonville Police Department and Clark County Sheriff ’ s Office . Social media seems to thrive on drama and “ Live PD ” offers plenty from right here in Southern Indiana .
The program follows police departments from across the country in real time as they patrol their communities . Think of it as live “ Cops ” with minimal edits .
Even with showcasing as many as eight departments per three-hour episode , some officers stand out . But none get more attention than Sgt . Denver Leverett of the Jeffersonville Police Department .
Often referred to as “ The Human Lie Detector ,” Leverett seems to play Jedi mind tricks on suspects he encounters on patrol . After a series of questions , he ’ s uncovered a sawed-off shotgun , had a family admit to buying crack and correctly told a woman she has drugs in her bra – all on live TV .
“ When you ’ ve had 17 years to perfect your craft , you ’ re going to get good at it ,” he says . “ It ’ s like a game of cat and mouse . It ’ s like a game of tag . It ’ s verbal judo . “ The process of doing that is very rewarding .” So , is he just showing off for the cameras ? “ I ’ m going to do what I do whether they ’ re there or not ,” he says . “ They don ’ t influence how I do my job .”
According to Leverett , it ’ s all about his observations and approach . He notices sweating , shaking and lack of eye contact , all the while treating the suspect with dignity .
“ When I go up to a car , for the first 60 seconds I ’ m just looking for criminal indicators ,” he explains . “ If you talk down to people or belittle them , they aren ’ t going to talk to you . If you treat them with respect , they ’ ll talk to you .”
That ’ s all well and good , but how does he get suspects to admit to crimes through what seems like a casual conversation ?
“ The key to being the ‘ Lie Detector ’ is you have to be persistent ,” he explains . “ I ’ ll have to ask the same question two or three times in different ways . I ’ ll do anything to get to the truth .”
He ’ ll also throw out an exaggerated question like , “ You got five pounds of pot in your glove box ?” only to have a suspect admit they have a smaller amount somewhere else . Jedi mind tricks , indeed . The man behind the badge Leverett says he ’ s wanted to be a police officer since he was a boy – more specifically , a “ K-9 cop .” A graduate of Jeffersonville High School and Indiana University , he ’ s part of a family with a long line of public service . Those connections helped him find his calling .
“ My uncle was the police chief , so as a young boy , I was able to ride with the K-9 Unit and volunteer my time ,” he said . “ That ’ s how I developed my passion .”
He joined the Jeffersonville Police Department in early 2001 and became part of the K-9 Unit within a couple of years .
They say when you do what you love , you never work a day in your life . That saying holds true for Leverett . “ I still enjoy coming to work 17 years later ,” he says .
A big part of his passion is getting drugs off the street . For him , it ’ s personal . He ’ s had family and friends struggle with addiction , even resulting in death . Helping others avoid the same fate keeps him going .
“ I couldn ’ t find a drunk in a bar ,” he says . “ My passion is drug work . Narcotics is my bread and butter .”
Outside work he enjoys Crossfit and cheering on the Louisville Cardinals and Houston Texans .
Most important , though , are his wife and 2-yearold son . “ When I ’ m off , you ’ d never know I was a policeman ,” he says . Paws down , he ’ s a celebrity Chances are , even casual fans of “ Live PD ,” know
Leverett ’ s canine companion , Flex , who ’ s been by his side for more than four years . The brindle Dutch Shepherd serves two purposes – narcotics detection and patrol .
How good is he at what he does ? According to Leverett , Flex can find a quarter in an open field from the human scent it retains . Although drug traffickers try to conceal the scent of their cargo with a variety of aromatics few , if any , get past Flex ’ s sniff .
His appearances on “ Live PD ” earned him a visit to New York for an in-studio appearance with Leverett . The trip came complete with a first-class flight – Flex flew at Leverett ’ s feet – and accommodations . Throughout their appearance , Flex calmly rested on a platform as his handler provided commentary along with the show ’ s hosts .
According to Dan Cesareo , creator and executive producer of “ Live PD ,” Leverett provided priceless perspective during his appearance .
“ The primary goal of ‘ Live PD ’ is to provide viewers a deep dive into what policing looks like across America and what officers encounter on a regular basis while patrolling their communities ,” he said . “ It ’ s been fascinating to watch how viewers engage with various officers featured on the series , and there ’ s consistently a vested interest in how officers , like Sgt . Denver Leverett , work with K-9 units . It was a good opportunity to invite Sgt . Leverett and Flex to come in-studio last November to provide additional commentary and analysis from his unique perspective during the live show .”
Leverett also answered viewer questions during that episode . One tweeted about what type of food Flex eats . He replied with the name brand and found out the next week he ’ d received a year ’ s supply from the manufacturer .
That ’ s not all Flex has received . Fans have sent collars , toys and even pig ears to Jeffersonville ’ s most notable narc .
But when the day ’ s over , he heads home with Leverett and transitions to a family pet .
“ When he ’ s home , he ’ s totally different . He ’ s just a dog … a pet ,” Leverett says . “ But when he sees me through the glass door , starting to put on my uniform , he gets excited . He knows every time I put on the uniform , we go to work or to train .”
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