January 9, 2026
by Carla Hay
Culture Representation: The documentary series “Crime in Progress” features a racially diverse group of people who are connected to law enforcement or crimes in some way.
Culture Clash: The TV series has compilation of mostly police camera footage (such body cams and dashboard cams) to show how police reacted to a crime in progress.
Culture Audience: “Crime in Progress” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of low-budget true crime documentaries that show the perspectives of law enforcement at crime scenes and investigating crimes.
Using raw footage that is mostly from police cameras, “Crime in Progress” is a gripping and suspenseful true crime documentary series, thanks to skillful editing. Each episode has a different case, with no narration or post-investigation interviews. “Crime in Progress” has captions to explain certain things in each episode. It’s a simple but compelling format.
“Crime in Progress” is produced for A&E by the A+E Factual Studios group. Kelly McClurkin is the showrunner, as well as an executive producer, for “Crime in Progress.” Only the first episode of “Crime in Progress” was available to review before the series premiered.
The first episode, titled “Nowhere to Hide,” chronicles the race-against-time hunt for a fugitive who shot and killed police officer Justin Hare in Tucumari, New Mexico, close to 5 a.m. on March 5, 2024. Hare had been responding to a 911 call about a man wearing a hoodie who was trying to flag down passing motorists on a highway. The man was standing next to a white BMW and appeared to be in distress.
Dash cam footage and body cam footage show that Hare was alone when he drove to the scene and approached the man, who said he needed a ride to town because his car had a flat tire. Hare said he could give the man a ride. But instead of accepting this ride, the man shot Hare three times and stole the car.
The episode shows the police’s frantic search for Hare, who was found unconscious in a field off of the side of the highway. Hare later died after medical help arrived. At the same time, police also began the hunt for the fugitive, who was later identified as Jaremy Alexander Smith, someone with a long history of committing other crimes. The entire ordeal lasted 51 hours.
Law enforcement officials from the Mexico State Police are shown throughout this episode. They include police officers Antonio Esparza, Xavier Garcia, Nathan Schwebach, and Jordan Romero; deputies Mario Chavez Thicc’ums, Roxanne Sanchez, Robert Lowe and Jose De La Cruz; sergeant Robert Ramirez; sheriff Dennis Garcia; and lieutenant Nicholas Marrujo.
Mexico State Police chief W. Troy Weisler is seen in a press conference where he gets a little bit choked up when he announces that Hare has died and shows a dash cam photo of fugitive Smith, who is wanted for first-degree murder and other crimes during this manhunt. Weisler gives a harsh “we’re going to get you” warning during this press conference. The hunt for Smith includes responding to callers’ tips, interviewing witnesses, a foot chase and a shootout in a residential Albuquerque neighborhood. The legal outcome of this criminal case is included in the episode’s epilogue.
In documentaries such as “Crime in Progress,” there’s an inherent assumption that the suspect or suspects will be arrested at the conclusion of the investigation that’s documented on camera. But this show also reveals the unfiltered emotions of law enforcement on the scene, whether it’s a cop giving encouragement to a dying colleague; the adrenaline and anxiety of police chasing a suspect; or the grief of law enforcement mourning the loss of a respected colleague.
The series premiere episode of “Crime in Progress” includes footage from the funeral service of Hare, who left behind a wife and two sons. Hare is described as a fantastic person who cared deeply about other people. Only the most cynical and cold-hearted people won’t feel anything after seeing this funeral footage. “Crime in Progress” lives up to its title but it admirably doesn’t leave out the aftermath of the criminal cases that are featured in each episode.
A&E premiered “Crime in Progress” on January 1, 2026.