In the wake of national protests against police brutality, CBS Television Studios has signed an exclusive agreement with a law enforcement and public safety advisory group to consult with the writing teams of its crime and legal series.
21CP Solutions is made up of professionals who have worked with local, state and federal jurisdictions and communities to advance 21st century policing and lead police reform efforts, according to CBS TV Studios President David Stapf.
“Police and legal series have been a mainstay of the studio’s roster and the network’s schedule for decades,” Stapf said. “We have an opportunity to build on that successful foundation going forward, and having the insightful and highly respected advisers from 21CP Solutions at our disposal is a valuable resource to our creative process.”
The team working with CBS is headed by 21CP partner Ronald Davis, who served in the Obama administration as the director of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, from 2013 to 2017.
The announcement marks CBS Studios’ latest effort to bring more inclusive voices to the creative process. The studio recently joined with the NAACP to develop and produce scripted, unscripted and documentary content for television and streaming platforms.
CBS Entertainment has also committed to increase the number of Black, indigenous and people of color in its writers’ rooms to a minimum of 40 percent in the 2021-2022 season, as well as immediately allocating at least 25 percent of the program development budget for creators/producers who are people of color.
“Providing our writing staffs with the best and most knowledgeable technical advisers offers more inclusivity and perspective,” said Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i, executive vice president of diversity and inclusion at ViacomCBS.
“With deeper and richer narratives, our shows can convey experiences that are more authentic to the communities they depict.”
