The easily overlooked disclaimer in "Steven Seagal: Lawaman," is that Mr. Seagal is not a full-time, sworn deputy sheriff, but a RESERVE deputy. Now not being from Louisiana myself but speaking as an auxiliary police officer in New Jersey, I can tell you that in my state we have full police powers ONLY when we are on duty, unlike full-time sworn officers who possess them 24 hours per day. Also, reserves and auxiliaries are typically unpaid volunteers who go through similar but often not as intense training as their paid counterparts.
I suspect that his crew in this show are also reserve deputies, because most of them are high ranking officers (one is a colonel, another one or two captains). It is unusual for sworn officers of that command rank to be out on ordinary street patrol, but quite common for ranking reserve officers. For example, in my jurisdiction our chief and deputy chief are typically on street patrol, directing traffic, etc., alongside us grunts.
It is also unusual, in my experience, to see three uniformed officers sharing a car as is seen in "Lawman". Again, this is more typical of auxiliary or reserve units, who may ride three or four persons in a car for safety reasons as well as a lack of available reserve cars.
Mr. Seagal is not the first celebrity to don a badge to help his local community. Don Galloway from the 1960's TV show Ironside became a reserve deputy sheriff in his community, as did Robert Conrad. Shakeil O'Neil is also a reserve cop.
In any case, I do find this show entertaining and am recording the series on my TiVo. It's nice to see fellow reserve/auxiliary cops in action, which you rarely if ever see on Fox TV's "Cops".
I suspect that his crew in this show are also reserve deputies, because most of them are high ranking officers (one is a colonel, another one or two captains). It is unusual for sworn officers of that command rank to be out on ordinary street patrol, but quite common for ranking reserve officers. For example, in my jurisdiction our chief and deputy chief are typically on street patrol, directing traffic, etc., alongside us grunts.
It is also unusual, in my experience, to see three uniformed officers sharing a car as is seen in "Lawman". Again, this is more typical of auxiliary or reserve units, who may ride three or four persons in a car for safety reasons as well as a lack of available reserve cars.
Mr. Seagal is not the first celebrity to don a badge to help his local community. Don Galloway from the 1960's TV show Ironside became a reserve deputy sheriff in his community, as did Robert Conrad. Shakeil O'Neil is also a reserve cop.
In any case, I do find this show entertaining and am recording the series on my TiVo. It's nice to see fellow reserve/auxiliary cops in action, which you rarely if ever see on Fox TV's "Cops".