For years Craig Bromell carried a gun while patrolling the streets of Toronto.

This week he actually started shooting. Don't worry, nobody's getting hurt. He's shooting with a camera. Martin Scorcese, Spike Lee, Norman Jewison ... and Craig Bromell?

Has kind of a ring to it for the former Toronto Police constable who became the controversial and love-him-or-hate-him police association boss! And now he's the executive producer of The Bridge -- a movie of the week based on his life.

For the next few weeks, the production to be aired in the fall on CTV is being filmed all around Toronto -- some in the same neighbourhoods where Bromell patrolled.

"I can't say it's a dream come true because it's not something I ever dreamed about," laughed Craig last night.

It's nice that it's happening because it's about the only thing being filmed here this summer!

Strangely, this all came out of a meeting at Bistro 990 back in the day when Craig would drown a few cold ones at the bar next to film producer Adam J. Shully. Their business partnership today is poignantly named 990 Multimedia.

As you would expect it has gone to Bromell's head, him already being a media star as a part-time talk-show host at AM 640. I have been after that bad boy for a year to tell me about this secret production -- and what happens this week but they send out a press release! Then, there's publicists and network people to go through. Say it ain't so, Bro! You are not going all Hollywood on us?

"Not at all," he laughs. "I am just learning a new business."

There's talk this will end up as a TV series. He seems to be getting the knack of this showbiz thing.

How long will it be before he'll become the same thorn in the side to the entertainment industry executives as he was toward the chiefs of police or sitting mayors?

"I am on set every minute to make sure they make it look authentic -- you know, making sure they capture how a cop walks or how they get out of a car," he says.

And how a cop union boss intimidates the hell out of everybody. Looks like he's already a thorn!

"I want this to be the most real-life cop TV show in history," he tells me.

Who is going to tell him no?

His character is being played by Canadian actor Aaron Douglas of Battlestar Gallactica fame. It's a good choice, but of course Bromell would have preferred Brad Pitt. No, this has not gone to his head at all.

"Who's going to play the Scrawler?" I tease my old pal, in essence a reminder it's the hacks in the media who helped create the legend Bromell.

"He'll be in the third episode," he says. "Sure, we'll call and book John Goodman to play you."

I was thinking more George Clooney, but as long as he looks good in a fedora!