Police Say Sad Farewell To Fallen Television Program

After helping track down hundreds of fugitives in nine seasons, “America’s Most Wanted” is going off the air, and those most upset by the cancellation seem to be the police.

“This show is the most valuable asset to law enforcement,” Newark police Lt. Vincent Gagliano said Thursday. “There’s no doubt in my mind that ‘America’s Most Wanted’ saves a lot of lives.”

Fox is dropping the program from its fall schedule because it has been on the air a long time, its ratings have been falling and other networks are aggressively programming against it, a Fox representative said. The network still plans to air movies and specials based on the show.

Over nine seasons, “America’s Most Wanted” helped find 423 fugitives and 17 missing children, said Kathy Swanda, spokeswoman for the show.

“We’ve caught serial killers, rapists, prison escapees a day after they escaped from prison. It’s been a tremendous platform for victims,” said host John Walsh, who helped start the show after his son, Adam, was kidnapped and killed.

Since the cancellation, Swanda said, the show’s offices have been swamped with calls from viewers, police and politicians expressing their outrage. “We weren’t expecting this,” she said.