William Petersen was born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and received his law degree from Indiana University. He worked for two years as a private attorney, then joined the police force. He worked for the NYPD for twenty-nine years, retiring in 1994
Petersen was cast in Law & Order: Criminal Intent and did voice work for The Simpsons and Family Guy. He has appeared on several television shows and is also a popular figure on the silver screen.
A smart person is not one that knows the answers, but one who knows where to find them...William Petersen
I didn't want to play a lawyer. I didn't want to play a doctor. I didn't want to play a single dad. I wanted to do something I felt I could learn from, something that would be a challenge and something that would not dry up.William Petersen
