Anita Van Buren

Van Buren joins the cast in the 1993 episode "Sweeps", succeeding Capt. Don Cragen (Dann Florek) as commander of the 27th Precinct Detective Squad after Cragen transfers to the Anti-Corruption Task Force. Throughout her run on the show, she oversees the work of detectives such as Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach), Mike Logan (Chris Noth), Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt), Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin), Joe Fontana (Dennis Farina), Nick Falco (Michael Imperioli), Nina Cassady (Milena Govich), Cyrus Lupo (Jeremy Sisto), and Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson).

For almost the entire duration of the series, Van Buren carries a Smith & Wesson Model 36 revolver as her duty weapon.[1] In the 20th season episode "Fed" she is seen carrying a Glock 19.

Van Buren is known for her toughness, but she often pays a price for it. In one episode she shoots and wounds a would-be mugger (Omar Scroggins) who attacks her at an ATM, and kills the mugger's partner, who turned out to be a mentally handicapped teenager. She is investigated, and absolved, by the Internal Affairs Bureau.[1] In another, she nearly loses her job when she sues the NYPD for promoting a white woman with less seniority ahead of her.[2] Her lawsuit becomes such an issue of contention within the department that the Chief of Detectives tells her she will have to resign to get her squad the resources it needs to apprehend a child rapist.[3] A judge eventually dismisses her discrimination suit.

During a murder case, Van Buren learns that the case that led to her promotion to lieutenant was tainted by a dishonest fingerprint examiner's report. The expert, a friend of Van Buren's, had been falsifying various other reports and is tried for her actions, saying that she was just doing what Van Buren wanted. No action is taken against Van Buren, but the scandal continues to haunt her.[4]

In season 17, she is forced to accept Nina Cassady as the replacement for Det. Joe Fontana upon his retirement. Van Buren believes that Cassady is too inexperienced to be a homicide detective, creating a risk to her partner, Ed Green. Van Buren had a "hand-picked" replacement for Fontana who was much more experienced than Cassady. She eventually learns to tolerate (and perhaps accept) Cassady as a member of her squad. However, this acceptance does not seem to last long; in the seventeenth season finale "The Family Hour", Van Buren berates the detective for her inability to keep her temper in check and suggests that Cassady has no future in the 27th Squad.

Van Buren was born at some point after 1952.[5] A graduate of John Jay College, Van Buren was married to Donald (Charles Dumas), who owns a hardware store.[6] They divorce after he cheats on her.[7] They have two sons, Stefan, who is the elder,[8] and Ric, who was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of six.[9] It is revealed that she spent five years as a patrol officer and seven years in undercover narcotics.[10][1] Further revelations are that she enjoys the poet Langston Hughes, and that she is left-handed.[11] She had a sister who was greatly upset by the fact that she could not have children.[12] She is opposed to the Iraq War[13] and disapproves of hunting.[14]

Her father was wounded in Wasu, Korea during the Korean War in 1952. He spent time at Tulsa VA Hospital in Oklahoma and his wife later claimed that he would have died if it had not been for the excellent care that he received from the medical staff. He had died by 2007.[5] Her detectives have affectionately addressed her by two shortened versions of her rank: "L.T." and "Lieu" or "Loo".

The following are the medals and service awards worn by Lieutenant Van Buren, as seen in "Gunplay" (season 15, episode 5).

	American Flag Breast Bar
	World Trade Center Breast Bar
	NYPD Meritorious Police Duty
	NYPD Excellent Police Duty