James McDaniel (born March 25, 1958; Washington, D.C.) is an American stage, film and television actor. He is best known for playing Lt. Arthur Fancy on the television show NYPD Blue. He also played a police officer in the ill-fated 1990 series Cop Rock, and a close advisor to activist Malcolm X in the 1992 film Malcolm X. He currently stars in the ABC television series Detroit 1-8-7..