Celebrities To Patrol With Muncie Police In Reality Show

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Nearly 25 years has passed since Erik Estrada played a police officer on TV's "CHiPs." Soon, he'll be one of Muncie's finest.

Starting next week, Estrada and four other celebrities -- including former professional wrestler Trish Stratus and possibly former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura -- will train with Muncie police to become reserve officers as a part of a reality TV show.

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Video: Celebrities To Patrol With Muncie Police

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The five will ride with Muncie officers and will have police powers, 6News' Jeremy Brilliant reported.

"We feel like this is a chance to showcase our department, which I'm very proud of," Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle said Wednesday. "Muncie is the setting -- national exposure -- I think it’s a positive."

Cameras will document the celebrities' training. The celebrities and their officer counterparts will respond to regular calls.

The show could put Muncie, for a time, in the national spotlight.

"It's certainly not a total economic development tool, but it certainly will help put us in the forefront of some people's thoughts," Muncie Deputy Mayor Phyllis Amburn said.

Muncie was chosen for the show because one of its producers was raised there, Brilliant reported. The production company behind the show will put several Ball State University telecommunications students to work as unpaid interns.

A crew of about 80 could start taping the show this weekend.

Winkle said he hopes the show is a morale booster for his department.

"We don't want to make this something it's not," Winkle said. "We're policemen. This is our profession. We don't want to make a mockery of it -- that's been stressed from every level down."