Jane Antrobus also appeared in the BBC documentary Girl Cops
As a detective chief superintendent with Greater Manchester Police, Jane Antrobus was in charge of some of the force's most challenging and high-profile cases.
Now, two years after retiring, Antrobus has swapped real-life drama for a role as a fictional detective in new ITV1 police drama Crime Stories.
The 20-part, semi-improvised series sees Antrobus portray Detective Inspector Jane Preston - a part she won after producers embarked on a search for former officers who wanted to give acting a go.
The show, made on The Bill's old set, is filmed in the style of a fly-on-the-wall documentary, with former Hollyoaks actor Ben Hull playing Detective Sergeant Ben Shaw.
Antrobus has used her three decades of police experience to give the producers advice on making the show realistic - and says she now wants to continue her acting career beyond crime shows.
Antrobus corrected the show's producers on the details of police procedure
How much of Jane Antrobus is in Jane Preston?
Did you have any input into the storylines?
What did you have to correct them on?
How have you found being in front of the cameras?
How much was scripted and how much did you improvise?
Antrobus stars alongside former Hollyoaks and The Royal Today actor Ben Hull
Is it realistic?
Is it right that you were the inspiration for DCI Gill Murray, played by Amelia Bullmore, in Scott & Bailey?
Which are the best and worst police dramas on TV?
Would you like to do more acting?
Crime Stories is on ITV1 every weekday at 14:00 GMT.
