Steven Seagal stars in "Steven Seagal: Lawman"

Steven Seagal has fought bad guys on film for more than 20 years, but few know that he's been doing it in real life for almost the same amount of time.

Starting Wednesday, Dec. 2, A&E's new series "Steven Seagal: Lawman" will follow the renowned martial arts and action star around as he kicks butt and takes down criminals in his community, Jefferson Parish, La. If you think "Cops" is exciting, wait until you see justice packed with a fist, squinty eyes and a ponytail.

"I've been working as an officer in Jefferson Parish for two decades under most people's radar," Seagal said. "I've decided to work with A&E on this series now because I believe it's important to show the nation all the positive work being accomplished here in Louisiana -- to see the passion and commitment that comes from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in this post-Katrina environment."

Seagal has never sought publicity for his police work, but for almost 20 years he has patrolled the streets of Jackson Parish as a fully commissioned deputy.

"Steven has a very close relationship with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and I'm proud to have him as part of our team," said Sheriff Newell Normand.

The series will allow Segal fanatics to ride shotgun as he and his elite team of deputies respond to distress calls and crimes in progress; similar to the Fox reality classic "Cops," but with an international superstar behind the wheel of the squad car.

The deputies were handpicked by the man himself and include Col. John Fortunato, Capt. Alex Norman, Sgt. Lawrence Matthews and Sgt. Larry Dyess. All have extensive and outstanding careers in law enforcement behind them already as they continue to fight the good fight at Seagal's side.

But the inside scoop won't stop after Seagal puts away his badge for the night -- cameras will follow him through his personal life as well, including musical performances and his philanthropic pursuits.

Seagal is, of course, famous for his action-hero persona in the '90s -- he was a major star, among other A-listers such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kurt Russell, grossing more than $2 billion with blockbuster hits.  

Best known among those are "Hard to Kill," "Out for Justice," "Under Siege," and the blockbuster hit "Exit Wounds." He just finished shooting "Machete," which will hit theatres next year, in which he co-stars with Robert DeNiro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez and Danny Trejo.

But he has become a hero over the past decade for other reasons, too. As well as policing his community in between scripts, he has also been an advocate for animal rights by shaming companies into changing their unethical treatment of animals.

Using his pull as a worldwide celebrity, he's been able to accomplish a lot politically, lending his voice to causes such as Native American issues, support for Tibet and the work being done by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)).

He's also, surprisingly, an accomplished blues musician. Some would think blues and martial arts don't mix, but the spirits of both have deeply touched Seagal.

In 2005, he released his first album, "Songs From the Crystal Cave," with his band Mojo Priest, also featuring such artists as Tony Rebel, Lady Saw and even Stevie Wonder.

Seagal's beliefs and spirituality have been intertwined with every aspect of his life, and he won't let anyone lead him astray from what he believes.

"I don't give in to peer pressure," Seagal explained in an interview. "Only justice."

Some even claim that he is a reincarnated Tulku of the 17th century, Chungdrag Dorje. A Tulku was an enlightened Tibetan Buddhist who continually reincarnates to serve the Buddhist purpose. Usually, Tulkus are said to become the Dalai Lamas -- the spiritual leaders of the Tibetan people -- and Seagal has been outspoken in support of the current one.

Through the Buddhist attitude, he was able to master martial arts at a young age, becoming an aikido master with a seventh-degree black belt. His Buddhist spirituality, as well as the discipline of aikido (which means "the way through life using harmony"), has continued to drive his character -- in film as well as his personal life.

"I was born clairvoyant," he said. "I was born a healer, and I was born very different."

He kicked off his career using his spiritual teaching and methods to instruct film stars in the martial arts, and even taught Sean Connery some moves for a film. Later, he was offered his own film, "Above the Law," in 1988. It would be the first of many.