Created by James Duff Gender Male Played by J. K. Simmons First appearance Pilot episode TV show The Closer | Portrayed by J.K. Simmons Children Two Creator James Duff Last appearance The Last Word | |
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Occupation LAPD Assistant Chief for Operations (season 1-6)
Transit Division Chief (briefly in season 6)
Interim Police Chief (season 7) Family Unknown wife (ex-wife)
Estelle Pope (ex-wife) Similar David Gabriel, Fritz Howard, Russell Taylor, Louie Provenza, Brenda Leigh Johnson | ||
Assistant Police Chief Will Pope is a fictional character featured in TNT's The Closer, portrayed by J.K. Simmons. Pope is the Assistant Chief for Operations of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Pope, along with Commander Taylor, is one of two characters on the show who has a real-life equivalent, in this case Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger, Director and Commanding Officer of Office of Operations, Los Angeles Police Department.
Despite bringing Brenda Leigh Johnson in for the job, he doesn't seem to want to let her actually do her work. He had an extramarital affair with Johnson when they worked together in Washington, DC. After he ended it, he divorced his first wife to marry a woman named Estelle, who eventually divorced him. This history causes some personal tension between the two of them.
In season six, Pope expects to be on the short list to become the new Chief of Police but discovers he is not being considered. When Tommy Delk is named Chief, Pope is assigned to the traffic division and considers quitting the force. When Delk suddenly dies, Pope is named Interim Chief, to the surprise of many.
Pope seems to still harbor feelings for Johnson, and he acts jealous of her relationship with Fritz Howard.
Personality
Pope commands the authority of his team, and the department detectives generally respect him. Closing cases and convicting criminals is his first priority, even if it means he has to take the heat from his superiors. He always defends his team and is more than willing to take the blame for them.
Pope can be something of a chameleon, often playing both sides of the fence to get what he wants. Unlike Brenda, he plays along with law enforcement politics in order to keep the department running smoothly.
Although he can be overly controlling, he has a soft spot for Brenda and is always eager to please her. When she first transfers to the LAPD, for example, Pope readily defends her against the other detectives' complaints, and he is often fiercely protective of her.