ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — Twenty years after “The Wire” comes another gritty Baltimore crime drama.
This one is for real.
Based on a true story written by Justin Fenton, “We Own This City," tells of the rise and corrupt fall of Baltimore City’s gun trace task force.
The man playing the role of Deputy Commissioner Dean Palmere will be actor Chris Anderson.
Anderson is being typecast because he is a police officer with the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
“They have been very supportive of me and my life as an actor," Anderson said.
Anderson took TV interviews and got Palmere’s speech pattern and movements down pat.
Pat Moran, who is Baltimore's casting director, remembered Anderson from roles on “The Wire” and thought he would be the perfect fit.
Anderson is very hard on the bad cops.
“I can’t believe they’d risk it all, start as recruits and then just go off," Anderson said. "It's bad for all officers and trying to restore trust is tough. "We think we know it all, but this series will prove, we don’t."
HBO’s “We Own This City” debuts on Monday night.
