spirit imitates art : late , actor Erik Estrada — who act a bike cop bring up Frank " Ponch " Poncharello onNBC ’s pip TV seriesCHiPsbecame a reserve constabulary officer in the small , 3500 - person town of St. Anthony , Idaho , theChicago Tribunereports .
The town ’s mayor , Neils Thueson , officially swore 67 - year - old Estrada into function at City Hall on Saturday , July 2 . Estrada , who currently serves as a spokesperson for theSafe Surfin ’ Foundation — an organization that teach parents , teachers , and kids about cyberspace guard — will work with the constabulary to protect kids from online predators .
“ Education Department is the best protection , especially on the internet , " Estrada say . " sure as shooting do n’t ever go play someone you ’ve been chatting with . They ’re not who they are . If they beam a picture , that is n’t them . "
Estrada will join the police department ’s new Internet Crimes Against Children task violence , NBC affiliate KPVI - TVreports . The squad is reportedly working on developing data resource for when a child first goes missing , including software that will register children ’s image at various angles and apace provide police with medical selective information .
When Estrada first touch out to St. Anthony , police official and townspeople thought it was a joke . But Estrada ’s plans were serious , and the law speedily welcomed the former actor into their substitute .
“ We ’re speak a long - condition partnership , " police force chief Terry Harristold theRexburg Standard Journal . " I expect it will run for the next two or three year . He ’s a great cat . He ’s extend to be a outstanding part of the team . ”
Estrada enunciate he choose to bring together a constabulary force in a rural minuscule Ithiel Town because it ’s too difficult to pilot the bureaucratism of a large city . In St. Anthony , he articulate , they ’re much more uncoerced to partner with organizations like the Safe Surfin ’ Foundation .
This is n’t the first time Estrada has join a police force force-out . In 2009 , he used his Safe Surfin ’ Foundation connection to become afull - clip deputy sheriffin Bedford , Virginia . And in 2008 , Estrada worked asa night reserve officerin Muncie , Indiana . In fact , the actor had wanted to be a law policeman before try out his hand at dissemble .
" I wanted to be a cop first and then I became an worker and then became a cop on TV,“Estrada say . " The TV affair earmark me to become a taciturnity officer in Indiana . I became a real cop . How many citizenry have that kind of blessing ? I ’ve been blessed that way . I ’ve been favourable . "
[ h / tChicago Tribune ]
