Notoriety Dogs Her Career

All things considered, Linda Canada says she was happier just being “one of the boys.”

Of all the police officers featured on Fox Broadcasting’s “Cops” TV series, Canada, a deputy with Broward County Sheriff’s Department in Florida, has gotten the most attention.

She was firm and no-nonsense in episodes a year ago when she arrested drug suspects and told prostitutes to “get off my streets.” But viewers also saw another side to her when “Cops” showed her cooking for her two small children and Jerry Wurms, a detective she was dating.

Wurms later proposed to Canada on camera. One episode showed her being fitted for her wedding gown.

Fan mail poured in and increased after an episode in which Canada tried to console a small girl who felt threatened by the boyfriend of her mother. The man was arrested for causing a disturbance and the little girl tried to leave with Canada.

Then came marriage proposals, requests for pictures, People magazine photographed her in uniform on the beach, David Letterman joked with her on his show, “Entertainment Tonight” did a segment, “A Current Affair” did a story, titling it “Beauty and the Badge.”

But all that fame didn’t bring much fortune. In fact, Canada said, the show helped put her career plans on hold and put her under more scrutiny.

Before “Cops,” Canada, a member of the department for 3 1/2 years, said she was due for a promotion to be a school resource officer. Instead, as a result of her popularity, she was sent to Tamarac, a town of 50,000 people.

“I was longing to be a detective or a school resources officer, but somebody in city government requested my presence in the area,” Canada said. “They felt it would be good publicity. It was a big, big letdown.”

Adjusting to the change was hard, she said. “I was working in a high crime area where there was a lot of drugs and prostitution,” Canada said. “I loved catching people in the middle of crimes. But this place is very low crime. Now I’m more like a public relations officer. I’m the one who catches the cat in the tree.

“It was discouraging at first. Three months ago, I had the worst attitude in the world. I just felt like I wasn’t being thought of as a person. Now I love it, I love the people and the job.”

The attention from fans put her under more scrutiny. Even after the “Cops” crew left Florida, the local media hounded her for more interviews. Requests had became so distracting, Canada and Wurms had to deny interviews.

Some reporters wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Some wanted to film my wedding and I said no,” Canada said. “Then they got nasty and said, ‘How much do we have to pay you?’ I got really upset.”

Much of the whirlwind has died down and Canada is concentrating on her family and job, but she is resentful of those who accuse her of profiting from the exposure.

“I work 3 to 11, with Wednesdays and Thursdays off,” she said. “Does that sound like I got something out of it? I really was happier just being one of the gang, being one of the boys.

“But I really did enjoy my 15 minutes of being famous. It was very exciting, but I was just doing my job.”