When the cameras turn off on your typical big-budget action movie, the hero usually returns to his life where special effects and stunt doubles are the stuff of movie magic. For international star Steven Seagal, he goes from the movie set to a real-life law enforcement job as a fully commissioned Deputy in the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana. With the new A&E reality series "Steven Seagal: Lawman," the actor reveals another career that has quietly run parallel with his action hero duties for the last two decades. To find out more about how the series came to be and Steven's commitment to protecting the Jefferson Parish community, our Jim Halterman talked with Executive Producer Neil Cohen.

Jim Halterman: How did the show come to be and land at A&E?

Neil Cohen: Steven has been working with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office for twenty years and when we got wind of that we knew it would make a perfect series for A&E. We spent several months getting to know Steven and convincing him, rightly, that doing a show with the spotlight on the activities of the JPSO would be good for him. It was only when we introduced him to our good friend John X. Kim, who created a show called 'The First 48' on A&E... once I introduced Steven to John, that marriage made sense for all parties concerned.

JH: Why did Steven decide to have the cameras follow him in his law enforcement work at this point in time?

NC: Steven is comfortable doing a show now because it's a chance to show the community of Jefferson Parish and New Orleans and he very much wanted to do something for the community post-Katrina. But I think only once he saw the other law enforcement shows like 'The First 48' that John Kim produced that it made sense for him to do a real-life series.

JH: From his action movie career, it must've been interesting to meet Steven in the flesh. How did you react on your first meeting?

NC: Truthfully, I've been a fan of his for twenty years and I was a little bit in awe of the man when I first met him but then, I'll tell you a funny story... when I first met him, we ended up going out to eat at a Japanese restaurant. Steven brought me to a place where they would serve Japanese delicacies. The Japanese culture is very much a part of who Steven is and I think once he saw me sitting there with him and breaking bread together - or in that case eating steamed trout together - I think he got more comfortable with me and I got to be more comfortable with him.

JH: Steven is obviously used to the cameras being present but was it an adjustment for the other officers he was working with on the force?

NC: I've done many, many series with law enforcement but the reality is that once there is a job to do they're focused on that job and the cameras fade into the background and they forget they are there.

JH: Steven's job with the JPSO is real so what type of real danger will we see on the show?

NC: I was there during much of the shooting and I was there when they got a call that said 'shots fired' and when a police officer is called to a 'shots fired' call, that's all you know; that's all the information that they have. I was cowering behind the engine block of a car and I look up and there's Steven towering next to me and, sure enough, he is standing tall, all 6 foot 5 of him. He is the real deal.

JH: Tell me about Jefferson Parish? Is it a high-crime rate area?

NC: It's a community like many others where there are some nice neighborhoods and then there are some that are touched by crime. Steven and his team would patrol the more crime-ridden neighborhoods. For him to spend his time patrolling the safer neighborhood of the Parish is not the best use of his time. He goes to different parts of Jefferson Parish and spends some time there and he does make a difference. He goes to some neighborhoods where he is able to do some good.

JH: I'm guessing people recognize him, right? Does that ever get in the way of him doing his work?

NC: Over the course of doing the show, it actually turns out to be a positive. I found on many occasions that the suspect would be more willing to speak to Steven because they recognized him. He's really good with people and he develops a good rapport whether you're a witness, a law-abiding citizen or a suspect and I think you'll see that in the show.

JH: From what I was able to see in the first few episodes, the show focuses on Steven's professional life with the Parish. Do we see any of his home or personal life in the show?

NC: You'll see a little bit more of his life at home and mainly we just stay with him on the job and that's really the focus of the show. He let us peer behind the curtain just a little bit here and there.

JH: These kinds of reality shows often take the subject's career to either new directions or new heights. Is that the hope with this show?

NC: I can tell you that [Steven] is the only action hero in the movies that does anything like this in real life. I've known other action heroes during my career and I can tell you that whether it's Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone, those guys play a certain role in the movies and in real life they lead a really cushy life. Steven lives the movie star life but also is a real deal cop. He's in a class by himself.

JH: The law enforcement shows are often geared towards male audiences but do you think the show appeals to woman?

NC: Well, I can tell you of the women I know who have seen this show...a lot of women actually find Steven pretty sexy. I also think when you see Steven take such an interest in the community, that's something that appeals across all genders.

"Steven Seagal: Lawman" premieres tonight at 10:00/9:00c on A&E.