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‘NYPD Blue’ Star, 65, Reveals He’s Training to Become a Cop for Real

Jerry O’Donnell has played law enforcement characters in “Dexter,” “Alias,” and “NYPD Blue.”

A longtime TV tough guy renowned for playing cops is trading in the prop badge for the real thing. Jerry O’Donnell, best known for playing law enforcement figures across four decades in shows including Dexter, Alias, and NYPD Blue, is now training to become an actual police officer in Asheville, North Carolina. After moving there with his wife to slow down, the Brooklyn-born actor instead found a new calling in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024, when the community rallied to rebuild after the catastrophic storm. At 65, he’s running, lifting weights, and knocking out push-ups alongside recruits half his age—or less. “I was in the Army, and they asked me, ‘Did you fight for the North or the South?’” he joked, recalling his classmates’ banter. “People don’t bust your chops unless they love you.” His wife, Alison Crowley, calls him “Jerry the Bull” for plowing through months of exams, interviews, and a lie detector test before his July acceptance. He’s now set to graduate in January. Asheville police spokesperson Rick Rice said the force believes O’Donnell is the oldest trainee the department has ever had.