Epatha Merkerson, who played Lieutenant Anita Van Buren for 17 years on the show, was in town to receive The Ensemble Theatre'sLifetime Achievement Award. Merkerson played the longest running African American character on prime-time television, until Ice T recently beat her record for his role on" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
I even snagged her as a guest on my radio show, The Joyful Life.
She is a joy.