Di Fiore builds Bridge with veteran cop By: Jim MacDonald Date: August 11th, 2008 Source: Playback

Craig Bromell is ready to pull back the curtain and reveal for a television audience what those carrying a badge have to endure from upper brass in order to protect society.

"Any major police department in North America is so political; it's more political than city hall," says the former outspoken head of the Toronto Police Association.

With 26 years of police experience, Bromell is sharing executive producer credits with writer and multi-Gemini Award winner Alan Di Fiore (Da Vinci's Inquest, The Life) on The Bridge, a movie of the week currently being shot in Toronto for CTV.

The story follows street cop Frank Leo (played by Battlestar Galactica's Aaron Douglas), elected by his fellow officers to head their union. Once in his new position, Leo butts heads with the powers that be as he tries to change what can best be described as an old boys network that is determined to preserve its way of running the force. Along the way, he must struggle with a request to sanction the use of deadly force to take down a corrupt officer.

John Fawcett (The Border, Intelligence) directs. Also in the cast are Paul Popowich (Angela's Eyes, I Me Wed) and Inga Cadranel (Rent-A-Goalie, MVP).

Di Fiore admits the renegade character he created can be compared to Bromell, who often caused a stir during his six-year tenure as head of Toronto's police union for such acts as openly criticizing politicians over budgetary issues, and releasing a list of councilors he recommended the association endorse during the municipal elections in 2000.

However, Di Fiore says the script emulates the operations of forces across the continent, which he discovered through interviews and ride-alongs with cops while researching previous projects.

While Bromell says the audience may be shocked to learn what the rank-and-file officers go through as part of their job, Di Fiore feels that on some level, they will be able to relate to the characters since there is often a political element in every office atmosphere.

"The difference being that with the police, it's your life on the line -- and that ups the stakes immediately for everything that happens," he says.

The Bridge is the first project for Bromell's 990 Multi Media Company, which he founded in 2005 with partner Adam Shully. It is coproduced by Barna-Alper Productions and Jonsworth Productions (Across the River to Motor City).

CTV has not announced an airdate.

 

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