{alltv} Beals the top cop in 'Chicago Code'

When you first hear about the new series The Chicago Code, you might say to yourself, "Jennifer Beals as the top cop in the Windy City? Really?"

The thing is, that reflex incredulity is a big part of the plot in The Chicago Code, which premieres Monday, Feb. 7 on Fox and Global.

Beals plays Teresa Colvin, Chicago's first female police superintendent, now in charge of a largely male, 10,000-member force.

"What's interesting for me is what it takes to lead 10,000 men - I think in the Chicago Police Department only 25% are women - and to find that balance between, what is feminine leadership and what is masculine leadership?" Beals said.

"How do you get 10,000 men to follow you? What does that leadership look like? We're constantly playing with that.

"Is she a transformational leader? Is she more of a ... I don't know ... I don't want to say ball-buster, but I'm going to say ball-buster."

Just to be clear, though, sexism is an element of The Chicago Code, but it's far from the only one.

Teresa was fast-tracked to her lofty position largely due to her skill, but party because certain influential people - including menacing local politician Ronin Gibbons (played by the conveniently menacing Delroy Lindo) - assumed she would be something of a puppet. But now that Teresa is cutting those strings, she and her ex-partner Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke) have placed themselves in the crosshairs.

Back before Beals burst onto the entertainment scene with her role in the 1983 movie Flashdance, she grew up in Chicago, so in some ways she is uniquely qualified for this role.

"When I was a kid, I didn't think that much about politics, to be honest," recalled Beals, 47. "I was just aware that Jane Byrne (Chicago's mayor from 1979 to 1983) was able to remove snow from the street and therefore was elected.

"There was this incredible dichotomy in the city where you would go downtown or really anywhere and see the most amazing architecture, and yet you're also aware that you cannot cross over that avenue because you could get beaten up because you look a certain way.

"So the city, to me, is like this incredible prize-fighter who has an astute sense of what is beautiful and an astute sense of architecture, but if you look the wrong way, that fighter will take you out for the slightest reason."

That doesn't sound so great, actually. But big cities are tough to police, and Chicago is no exception.

"We all did ride-alongs with different police officers and it was just astounding to see what they go through every day, it just blew my mind," Beals said. "I wouldn't last on the street for 30 seconds. I would hide in the car.

"But I have to say, now, when I'm in Chicago and I see a cop car go by, I'm like, 'There are my boys, those are my girls.' I know this sounds so corny, but I feel really proud of them, because they work so hard to keep us safe."