Disqualification Appeals works with candidates who receive a Notice of Proposed Disqualification while pursuing careers as police officers. For some applicants, law enforcement represents a second career or a chance to begin a new chapter.
As with many people, several actors worked in law enforcement before entering the entertainment industry, while others became reserve officers or deputies after achieving fame. Dennis Farina and David Zayas served as full-time police officers before building acting careers. Shaquille O’Neal played basketball and had a media career while he pursued police work, while Erik Estrada and Lou Ferrigno later joined law enforcement agencies in reserve roles.
Different Paths Between Entertainment and Law Enforcement
Not all of the actors we will showcase here served as full-time officers. The distinction between full-time officers, reserve officers, deputies, and actors portraying officers matters because these roles do not necessarily involve the same duties, authority, training, or employment status. Each performer featured here had a documented connection to law enforcement that extended beyond wearing a badge for television or film.
Dennis Farina Was a Chicago Police Officer Before Becoming an Actor
Dennis Farina served with the Chicago Police Department for 18 years, from 1967 to 1985. While still working for the department, a connection with director Michael Mann led to a small role in the 1981 film Thief. Farina later left police work and built an acting career that included Detective Joe Fontana on Law & Order and Lieutenant Mike Torello on Crime Story.¹
David Zayas Served With the NYPD Before Acting
David Zayas served as a New York City Police Department officer before becoming a professional actor. He later became known for playing Detective Angel Batista on Dexter, placing him behind a fictional badge after he had already worn a real one.
Zayas has said that police work strengthened his ability to observe people and understand their behavior, skills he later applied to studying and portraying characters.²
Shaquille O’Neal Served in Reserve and Honorary Roles
Shaquille O’Neal, better known as Shaq, is best known for basketball, but he has also appeared in films such as Kazaam, Grown Ups 2, in which he played Officer Fluzoo, and Show Dogs.
O’Neal pursued police work during and after his NBA career. ESPN reported that he served as an honorary deputy in Clayton County, Georgia, and as a reserve police officer in Los Angeles, Miami Beach, Tempe, Golden Beach, and Doral.³
Erik Estrada Became a Reserve Police Officer
Erik Estrada became one of television’s most recognizable fictional law enforcement officers as California Highway Patrol Officer Frank “Ponch” Poncherello on CHiPs.
In 2016, Estrada was sworn in as a reserve officer with the St. Anthony Police Department in Idaho. His planned work included educating children and families about internet predators and online safety, continuing his earlier involvement with law enforcement agencies on child-protection efforts.⁴
Lou Ferrigno Became a Reserve Deputy Sheriff
Lou Ferrigno, known for playing the title character in The Incredible Hulk, joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as a reserve deputy in 2006. Before being sworn in, he completed training that included firearms, first aid, and high-speed driving techniques.⁵
Ferrigno has connected his interest in law enforcement to his father, who served as an NYPD officer.⁵
Becoming an NYPD Officer Requires More Than Playing One
Playing an officer on television does not provide a shortcut into a real police department. New York City Police Department candidates must complete several stages of the NYPD hiring process. The department lists a written entrance examination, medical examination, written and oral psychological evaluations, background character investigation, physical testing, and drug and alcohol screening among its requirements.⁶
What Happens When the NYPD Identifies a Concern?
An applicant’s history is evaluated as part of that process. The NYPD states that investigators verify employment and education and review matters such as criminal history, respect for the law, violence, and prior employment problems. The department also advises candidates to be truthful and warns that omissions or dishonesty may lead to disqualification.⁶
A candidate may receive a Notice of Proposed Disqualification (NOPD) based on a proposed psychological disqualification, proposed medical disqualification, or proposed character disqualification. The appropriate response depends on the concerns stated in the notice and the evidence available to address them.
Review Your Police Officer Disqualification Options
A career in entertainment does not automatically prevent someone from pursuing law enforcement work. However, every applicant must complete the applicable testing, investigations, and assessments. Previous employment, public activities, finances, legal history, medical information, and other parts of a candidate’s background may require explanation during the process.
Disqualification Appeals is an NYPD disqualification appeal law firm that can help you understand a Notice of Proposed Disqualification (NOPD) and review the available next steps. We assist candidates throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, and Suffolk County.
Contact our team so that we can review concerns identified by the New York City Police Department and help determine what records, explanations, or supporting evidence may be relevant.
Sources
1 – Dennis Farina Dies at 69; Chicago Police Officer Turned Actor (The Guardian)
2 – How Being a Former NY Cop Helped David Zayas Play One in Dexter (New York Post)
3 – Shaquille O’Neal Says He’ll Run for Sheriff in 2020 (ESPN)
4 – CHiPs Star Estrada Becomes Idaho Reserve Police Officer (KSL)
5 – Coverage of Lou Ferrigno’s reserve deputy service (CBS News)
6 – Police Officer Hiring and Police Officer Frequently Asked Questions (NYC Government)