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

He’s spent four decades catching bad guys on screen — now he’s doing it for real. Jerry O’Donnell, the rugged TV star famous for his gritty roles in Dexter, Alias, and NYPD Blue, has swapped Hollywood scripts for handcuffs as he trains to become an actual police officer at age 6

The Brooklyn-born actor and his wife, Alison Crowley, moved to Asheville, North Carolina, to “slow down.” Instead, O’Donnell found himself inspired to speed up — literally. After witnessing the town’s resilience following the deadly Hurricane Helene in 2024, he decided to serve the community not from a set, but from the streets.

“I was in the Army, and they asked me, ‘Did you fight for the North or the South?’” O’Donnell laughed, recalling the good-natured teasing from classmates half his age. “People don’t bust your chops unless they love you.”

Crowley calls him “Jerry the Bull,” a fitting nickname for the veteran actor who muscled through grueling exams, interviews, and even a lie detector test before being accepted into the academy last summer. Now he’s running drills, lifting weights, and sweating it out beside recruits young enough to be his grandkids.

According to Asheville police spokesperson Rick Rice, O’Donnell is believed to be the oldest trainee in the department’s history — and he’s already become a legend in the locker room.

The former TV tough guy is set to graduate in January. This time, when Jerry O’Donnell pins on a badge, it won’t be for a role — it’ll be for real.