| Fritz Howard | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Pilot episode |
| Created by | James Duff |
| Portrayed by | Jon Tenney |
| In-universe information | |
| Nickname | Fritzy |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Former FBI Special Agent Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Deputy Chief of Special Operation Bureau |
| Family | Brenda Leigh Johnson (wife) Claire Howard (sister) |
Formerly an FBI Special Agent, Fritz Howard, who is now Deputy Chief of the LAPD Special Operations Bureau, is a fictional character featured in the TNT programs The Closer and Major Crimes, and is portrayed by Jon Tenney. Fritz received his initial training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia and has been working for the FBI in Los Angeles for the three years prior to Brenda Johnson's arrival in Los Angeles to become an LAPD Deputy Chief. Fritz is an old friend of Brenda's and has known her since at least her time in Washington, D.C. Fritz and Brenda were married in the last episode of Season Four of The Closer.[1] Fritz not only provides her with access to FBI resources and inside information when local resources are unavailable, he also provides emotional grounding for the passionate Brenda, who can get overly caught up in her investigations. He later continues to aid the Major Crimes Division (MCD) as their FBI liaison after Johnson leaves MCD and, during season 3 of Major Crimes, he retires from the FBI to become Deputy Chief of Special Operations Bureau, covering LAPD's SWAT, K-9, Air, Mounted and other special units.