Those “bad boys” are coming back for a 25th season on FOX. Cops, the longest-running show on the network, returns in December and is set to air its 850th episodes in February 2013.

Cops’ long-running companion, America’s Most Wanted was dumped by the network last year but was picked up by Lifetime.

Here’s the press release:

HOT FROM FOX…

“COPS” CRUISES INTO 25th SEASON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, ON FOX

Annual All-New “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Edition Airs Saturday, December 22

Milestone 850th Episode To Air This February

The milestone 25th season of COPS premieres Saturday, Dec. 15 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX, during which the veteran show will go on duty in Toledo, OH; Sacramento, CA; and Portland, OR. The following week on Saturday, Dec. 22 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), COPS will debut another unforgettable edition of the annual special, “Ho! Ho! Ho!” highlighting Portland, OR; Alameda County, CA; and Las Vegas, NV. The trailblazing show remains one of the longest-running primetime series currently airing on broadcast television and will celebrate its landmark 850th episode in February.

This season, the Emmy Award-nominated reality series will cover the U.S. from coast to coast and profile some of the country’s finest law enforcement professionals and more interesting suspects. COPS will film with police and sheriff’s departments in California, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia. The show also will revisit Kansas City, MO; Sacramento, CA; and Broward County, FL, where the original pilot was filmed.

For nearly a quarter-century, COPS has followed law enforcement agencies in more than 140 U.S. cities and has filmed in Europe, Asia and Central and South America. It was the first American television program to follow police in the former Soviet Union. A true pioneer of the reality television phenomenon, creator and executive producer John Langley is often credited with introducing the signature “video vérite” style of COPS, a camera technique that notably influenced TV advertising, news reporting and other network and syndicated programming.

Created by John Langley, COPS is produced by Langley Productions, Inc. and Fox Television Studios. John Langley and Morgan Langley are executive producers. Doug Waterman serves as supervising producer and Zach Ragsdale as producer. “Like” COPS on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Copstv. Follow the series on Twitter @COPStv and join the discussion at #cops

What do you think? Are you still a fan of Cops on FOX? How long have you been watching?