Bobby Simone

Bobby Simone was a fictional character in the television series "NYPD Blue". He was played by Jimmy Smits from near the start of the second season until the beginning of the sixth.

Simone was introduced to the squad after Andy Sipowicz's former partner, John Kelly, was forced to leave the NYPD in the face of an IAB witch hunt. His previous job had been as a driver for the police commissioner, a role that initially riled Sipowicz. However, Simone explained that he had asked for the job as it meant that he could spend more time with his wife as she was dying from cancer. An early bond and friendship was formed between the two men to such an extent that, when Kelly couldn't make it back to New York for Sipowicz's wedding to Sylvia Costas, he asked Simone to step in as best man. Bobby and Andy became great friends and partners, although Bobby did not let Andy get away with making racist comments around him. We later learned that Bobby was a quiet kid whose passion for raising racing pigeons came from his friendship with a retired boxer (who later, sadly, showed early signs of Alzheimers), and that he had a flashy older friend named Ray DiSalvo whom he idolized--which came back to haunt him when Ray became a petty criminal and once tried unsuccessfully to sell Bobby out to IAB over a robbery-murder case.

Early on in his time in the squad Simone started a relationship with Diane Russell, another cop in the office. According to NYPD guidelines the police department did not allow such couplings for officers who worked in the same precinct, so the couple kept it quiet up until the point that they were married by a justice of the peace (Lt. Fancy also knew they were dating, but never officially notified the higher-ups about it). Simone had earlier had to convince Diane that she had a drinking problem but was a source of strength and comfort for her as she successfully battled the demons in her past. The couple also conceived a child but Diane had a miscarriage.

Shortly after the wedding Simone contracted a bad heart infection that hospitalized him and led him to require a heart transplant. Unfortunately the new heart was rejected and, although initially it seemed that Bobby would pull through, he died. Bobby returned in Season 12 as a sort of spirit offering guidance and comfort to a troubled Andy.

In one episode, when Simone is dealing with a racist white suspect who assumes he is Puerto Rican, Simone retorts that he is of French and Portuguese descent and that his parents met in Belize.