Hulu Sets Sound of the Police Doc

ABC News Studios’ Sound of the Police, directed by Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stanley Nelson (The Murder of Emmett Till, Attica), is slated to debut on Hulu on August 11.

The feature-length documentary examines the relationship between Black Americans and the police over time, tracing the country’s racial history from the first slave patrols in the South during slavery to more recent high-profile cases of police brutality.

Sound of the Police is produced by Firelight Films for ABC News Studios. It is co-directed by Valerie Scoon (Invisible History: Middle Florida’s Hidden Roots). Scoon and Nelson produced the series. Executive producers are Marcia Smith and Keith Brown for Firelight Films and Jacqueline Glover for ABC News Studios.

“This film couldn’t be more timely, but it also closely connects to much of the history that I’ve explored in my past work—from the Civil War-era slave patrols, the advent of Jim Crow at the turn of the century, the uprisings against police brutality in the latter half of the 20th century to the many acts of police violence against African Americans that we’ve witnessed in the media in recent times,” said Nelson. “We’re thrilled to partner with ABC News Studios on this important project and look forward to sharing and discussing the film with audiences.”

“It’s been a rewarding experience working with Stanley and Firelight Films on this project,” Scoon added. “While much of my work as a director and producer has engaged with African American history, this film is particularly personal. Stanley and I are both parents of young adults, and that perspective has informed the importance we place on examining the history of the relationship between law enforcement and the Black community. We hope this film will inspire conversations that will save lives and build stronger communities.”

“It is an honor for ABC News Studios to be working with incredible storytellers Stanley Nelson and Valerie Scoon,” said Mike Kelley, head of ABC News Studios. “They have an unparalleled ability to detail the lives of Black Americans as they do so thoughtfully in their examination of the complex relationship with law enforcement in Sound of the Police.”