John Langley, creator of the long-running TV present Cops, has died on the age of 78 after struggling a coronary heart assault throughout a street race in Mexico.

Langley had a coronary heart assault through the Coast to Coast Ensenada-San Felipe 250 off-road race in Baja on Saturday, in response to household spokesperson Pam Golum.

He was an off-road racing fanatic and would usually take part in such occasions.

Langley’s present Cops grew to become one of many first actuality tv collection when it launched on Fox in 1989, and it could go on to air for 32 seasons. The present was well-known for its Unhealthy Boys theme, its dizzying foot chases and its parade of shirtless suspects being arrested. It additionally confronted accusations of glorifying police, and was finally taken off the air final yr following the police killing of George Floyd.

The present ran on Fox till 2013, when it jumped over to Spike TV/The Paramount Community till 2020.

Langley co-created Cops together with his manufacturing associate Malcolm Barbour. The present nonetheless airs in syndication in lots of nations.

Cops hit the air three years after Langley and Barbour first examined the idea in Vice: The Doping of a Nation, a TV particular wherein Geraldo Rivera joined police for a stay narcotics bust.

He additionally produced the 2009 movie Brooklyn’s Most interesting, in addition to the non-fiction collection Jail, Vegas Strip and Anatomy of a Crime.

Langley is survived by his spouse Maggie, sons Morgan and Zak, daughters Sara and Jennifer and 7 grandchildren.

— With information from The Related Press