Erik Estrada, known for his role in 'CHiPs', goes undercover to apprehend child sexual predators.

"CHiPs" star Erik Estrada's real life has imitated his art.

The actor, who is 75 years old, will debut the second season of his faith-based home improvement show, "Divine Renovation." He gained fame playing motorcycle cop Francis Llewelyn "Ponch" Poncherello on the hit police drama TV series 'CHiPs' from 1977 to 1983.

Estrada, while still working as an actor, fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a reserve police officer in Muncie, Indiana. He later joined the Virginia police department's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force as a deputy sheriff.

Estrada discussed his career in law enforcement, which he started in 2008 at the Muncie Police Department, during an interview with Planet Chronicle Digital.

"For three years, I remained with them. Then, I realized that at my age, it was no longer necessary to pull over cars at night, go to bars, knock on doors during domestic disturbance calls, and perform all those tasks."

Estrada acknowledged that his police work was complicated not only because of his age but also due to being frequently recognized as "Ponch" while on duty.

Each time I emerge from the circumstance, individuals request photographs and autographs," he stated. "I am unable to fulfill that demand anymore.

Estrada joked that he thought someone would mess up his hair badly in the early morning hours (2 or 3 or 4) because he used to work graveyard shifts, which allowed him to avoid being in the daylight.

Estrada, who was still a police officer at the time, became involved with the Bedford County Sheriff's Office in Virginia and learned about the department's work as an ICAC task force from former Sheriff Mike Brown.

Erik Estrada, the star of 'CHIPS,' reveals how he uses fake identities to catch online child sexual predators.

Estrada remembered being exposed to child internet pornography, which made him extremely upset because his daughter was only 7 years old at the time. He became angry and furious.

"I got so upset when I saw what I saw because my daughter was 7 at the time. It really upset me. And then I got angry. Made me mad." — Erik Estrada

"I told the sheriff, Mike Brown, that if I left tonight, I wanted to leave Muncie, Indiana PD and work on this task. He replied, "Give me a year to train you, and I'll check your education and what you're doing over there.""

As a full-time sheriff and ICAC, Estrada worked undercover for eight years using the internet and online technology to catch child sexual predators in the Bedford Country Sheriff's Office.

In response to the growing issue of online child pornography and the increasing number of criminals exploiting minors through the Internet, ICAC was established in 1998.

The Bedford Country Sheriff's Department was among the first 10 local law enforcement agencies to collaborate with the ICAC task force, which covers Virginia and West Virginia, according to the department's website.

At the time Estrada joined the force, the grooming and abduction of children by criminals who initially contacted the victims online was increasing. Estrada stated that minors were not adequately prepared to defend themselves against online sexual predators.

Estrada stated that no one was educating children on how to avoid being groomed and taken advantage of online, including what not to do and how to protect themselves from physical contact with people they believe to be their friends but who are not.

"As soon as a child loses their innocence, they are irreparably harmed and will never regain it in the same way. They will never regain it entirely."

Erik Estrada, the star of 'CHIPS,' recalls his time as a police officer before going undercover to apprehend online child sexual predators.

Estrada, who works as a deputy sheriff for the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, has continued his work with ICAC. He uses fake online identities to catch and arrest potential sexual predators, describing his work as "poppin' these guys who crossed the line on the internet."

"While they believe they're conversing with Kimmy, who is 13½ years old, he stated that if they don't acknowledge your age after you disclose it, they will inevitably make a move and cross the line, providing you with grounds to take legal action. After you inform them of your intention to proceed or they visit your home, they will be apprehended."

In his interview with Planet Chronicle Digital, Estrada stated that he had always dreamed of becoming a police officer since he was just four years old, growing up in a housing project in Spanish Harlem, New York.

He remembered how his mom fired his dad because he was addicted to drugs. Then she began dating a police officer named Pete Panos, who was a CSI detective.

"As a kid, I used to love this guy and would often go through his briefcase to look at some really horrific stuff, like 'Night of the Living Dead'. It was awesome. However, as I grew older, I realized that it was just a movie and not a real-life situation."

Estrada joined the high school drama club to pursue a romantic interest in a young woman who was a member.

He remembered being bitten by the acting bug, which left a lasting impression on him.

"Now I must inform my mother, 'Mommy, you must remain in the projects for a bit longer so I can rescue you,' and my poor mother wept for days."

Estrada informed his mother of his altered plans and pledged that if acting did not succeed by age 30, he would return to New York and pursue a career as a police officer, with the deadline being 32 years old.

Estrada landed his breakthrough role on "CHiPs" at the age of 27, which allowed him to support his mother.

"My objective was to provide my mother with a luxurious lifestyle, and I achieved it by having her reside in a Central Park South apartment overlooking the park for 32 years without ever having to work again until her passing."

Estrada has pursued various projects aside from his work in law enforcement, including acting in infomercials and hosting reality shows.

In 2023, Estrada started hosting the faith-based home improvement reality series "Divine Renovation." According to Heartlight Entertainment, the docuseries combines the popularity of home improvement shows with a spiritual component.

Estrada works with nonprofits, houses of worship, local businesses, and neighbors to make home improvements for families in need, as depicted in the show.

Estrada remembered that "Divine Renovation" Executive Producer Monty Hobbs contacted him about hosting the series after he appeared in a series of faith-based films, including "Finding Faith," "Virtuous," and "Uncommon."

Hobbs told Estrada that he wanted to create a show that promotes good deeds and helps people, without being too preachy, and that he wanted to work with the community and people of all backgrounds.

Erik Estrada, star of 'CHIPS,' is back with a second season of his faith-based home renovation show, 'Divine Renovation.'

The first season of "Divine Renovation" was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, and premiered on various platforms in July 2023.

The second season of "Divine Renovation" was filmed in Torrington, Connecticut and will air in mid-August.

According to Estrada, the second season of the show is "heartwarming."

"The season is fantastic, and we have a segment featuring service dogs for individuals with PTSD. It's truly amazing."

Another segment of "The Bold and the Beautiful" was filmed at the FISH (Friends In Service To Humanity of Northwestern Connecticut) shelter, as stated by an alum of the show.

He stated, "We renovate the big house with a new floor and other adjustments, and then we install a flagpole because they received a grant to accommodate veterans, house them, and provide them with food."

We provided veterans with a pole for their flag ceremonies, which was amazing. The mayor then appeared, making the event even more impressive. Afterward, we organized a special activity with a police officer and his family, as their son has a significant disability.

He made the bathroom bigger and installed a removable aluminum ramp outside for convenience, eliminating the need to go downstairs. Additionally, he created an airlift system from his bedroom into the bathroom.

"Thus, an abundance of this and that exists. And it's wonderful. I'm bound for heaven."

The second season of "Divine Renovation" will be available on Amazon Prime, Roku, Tubi and other streaming platforms starting September 19.