Officer Dan is a Chicago Police Officer and friend of Al Bundy's who is also a member of NO MA'AM, despite the fact he often arrests them for their illegal antics. However, he does admit to his friends that he is a corrupt officer, which indicates he does help out the group now and then. . He is played by actor Dan Tullis, Jr.
Description[]
Despite being a police officer with several years of experience, he is shown be to rather inept at his job. When dispatch or a victim try to get his attention about a crime in progress, he will end up muting his radio or tell the victim to find someone else who cares. He also pointed out to Al that even he has been robbed in front of Gary's Shoes & Accessories for Today's Woman. [4] He has stated that no one at the police station will ride along with him, as he managed to lose three partners in one week. [5]
Although he knows its his sworn duty to protect and uphold the law, he views himself as a cop as eleventh on his list of roles, with "lover, bowler, then a lover again" as his top three.[6]
He is often shown ticketing or arresting Al and his NO MA'AM members, but he also happens to be a member of the organization and will join them for activities when necessary. In one of example, when he's about to arrest Al and members of the group as they protested outside of a television station in the middle of a blizzard, he changes his mind and joins them when he learns they're trying to bring back Psycho Dad.
Besides mentioning that he has corrupt friends in Downtown Chicago [2], he is also shown using his police power to do illegal (or at the very least, unethical) things with the group such as:
- Allow the members to help conduct strip searches at the The Jiggly Room [5]
- Have Griff arrested on charges of "indecent exposure, murder and cannibalism" as part of a prank. [7]
- Rent his patrol car out for prom dates[5]
- Allowing Al to pretend to be a cop and carry out the duties of a sworn officer.
- Illegally confiscate the winnings that Al had won in a poker game, and keeping them for himself and his partners[8]
He once arrested Al and his friends for hijacking a TV studio, but when realizing the show they took over was The Masculine Feminist and the show's host, Jerry Springer was being held hostage, Officer Dan remarks to his fellow officer to "Tie him back up!" .[4]
Despite having been at the Bundy Residence multiple times as both a police officer and member of NO MA'AM, he often confuses it for a crack house[5]
Trivia[]
- Dan Tullis, Jr. also appeared on MWC in seasons 4 as a sheriff and a construction worker and in season 6 as an F.B.I agent.
- Officer Dan technically goes back to season 5, as Dan Tullis Jr. played a Chicago PD officer who arrested Al. In the credits for those episode, the character is listed simply as "Policeman" but is dressed and acts like Officer Dan. He is not officially given the name of "Officer Dan" until season 8.
Appearances[]
- Season 5
- Season 7
- Season 8
- Season 9
- Season 10
- Season 11