‘CHiPS’ Star Erik Estrada Becomes A Real-Life Police Officer

Erik Estrada, the actor most notably known for his role on television series ‘CHiPS,’ has chosen to transition from portraying a police officer on television to earning a real badge to become a reserve police officer. While he may not be policing the California highways anymore in tights shorts and feathered hair, he will be back on patrol in Idaho as he was chosen to serve as a part of law enforcement with a focus on protecting children from online predators.

On July 2, he was sworn in as a reserve police officer in St. Anthony, Idaho. Estrada tweeted an image of himself in uniform with the caption: “Ok fnf’s I’m now a police officer with the ST ANTHONY POLICE DEPT.

Television show ‘CHiPS’ propelled Estrada into stardom as a pop culture icon during the the show’s heyday from 1977 to 1983. Estrada now works as a spokesperson for the Safe Surfin’ Foundation, according to TODAY. “The organization looks to educate parents, teachers, clergy, and children about Internet safety while working to track down online predators.”

After the induction ceremony, Estrada told the Idaho State Journal: “Education is the best protection, especially on the Internet. Certainly don’t ever go meet someone you’ve been chatting with. They’re not who they are. If they send a picture, that isn’t them.”

Estrada reached out to the Mayor Neils Thueson’s administration in the small town of 3,500 a couple months regarding the Safe Surfin’ Foundation. “Ironically, St. Anthony Police Chief Terry Harris initially thought he was the target of an online hoax when he received the email from Estrada,” according to TODAY.

This is not the first real police department that Estrada has become a part of as he was a full-time deputy sheriff in Bedford County, Virginia in 2009. Sheriff Mike Brown, who is the director of the Safe Surfin’ Foundation, was the one to bring Estrada on board of the police department in Virginia. Also, Estrada formerly worked as a reserve police officer in Muncie, Indiana.

Best of luck to Erik Estrada in his newest endeavor as a reserve police officer in St. Anthony, Idaho as he works to continue protecting children from online predators.