In a phone interview Tuesday, Ferrigno called the ceremony a "wonderful" experience. "It's always been a dream of mine to be a sheriff one day," he said, citing his own father's police career as an inspiration.

As a member of law enforcement in good standing, Ferrigno has been issued a badge, a baton and a gun--a Beretta 92FS, per the sheriff's department Website.

"He's only authorized to carry [the weapon] when he's working in the capacity as a reserve deputy," said Jeffrey Prang, special assistant to Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca.

Ferrigno, 53, was to be one of 58 reserve deputies earning their stripes at Monday's ceremony in downtown Los Angeles, Prang said. All are graduates of a training class that first met last September.

The force Ferrigno is joining has been under tremendous strain of late in trying to quell deadly inmate riots. And so the question begged: Will the former Hulk draw duty in the tinder-hot prisons?

"No, he won't," Prang said, adding, "and we call them 'jails.'"

Instead, Ferrigno said he'll be focusing on deputy recruitment and work with abused children.

As a reserve deputy, Ferrigno will be required to put in 20 hours of service a month for which he'll be paid $1 annually, per the department's Website. "The money's not the issue," Ferrigno said. "It's mainly to be part of a great organization."

Basketball and Kazaam star Shaquille O'Neal draws a like $1 annual paycheck for his work as a reserve police officer in Miami Beach, Florida. Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino presumably draws the respect of the community, but little else, as an honorary sheriff's deputy in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.

Reserve deputy candidates in Los Angeles County must be at least 20 years old and in solid physical shape. Recurring appearances on King of Queens and Mr. Universe titles are entirely optional, although Ferrigno has those areas covered, too.

Los Angeles County is, of course, located in California, which is currently governed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ferrigno's former Pumping Iron rival. Ferrigno said Schwarzenegger wrote him a "nice letter" congratulating him on his deputy training. "We have a lot of respect for each other," Ferrigno said.

In addition to his smashing work on The Incredible Hulk from 1978-82, Ferrigno donned the character's green body makeup and wig for three post-series telepics. In 2003, he cameoed in Ang Lee's big-screen take on the Marvel Comics star.