This is a list of characters from the television series The Closer, which ran from 2005 to 2012 on TNT in the United States. The series centers on the officers of the LAPD's Priority Murder Squad (season 1), renamed Priority Homicide Division (seasons 1–4), then renamed the Major Crimes Division (seasons 4–7). Many of these characters reappeared in the spin-off series Major Crimes. Main characters Recurring characters Los Angeles Police Department Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell): An internal-affairs officer who is introduced during season 5, initially to investigate a shooting in which Sgt. Gabriel is accused of misconduct; later she takes on the case of the controversial death of a material witness who had been in Brenda's custody. Often described as a stickler for the rules, Sharon's constant scrutiny of Major Crimes earns her the distrust of Brenda and her squad. Later, Sharon encourages Brenda to apply for chief of police. In Major Crimes, Sharon takes over Brenda's former squad, but despite initial friction over her hire, she earns their respect. She takes in a material witness in the Philip Stroh case, Rusty Beck, first as a foster child, then eventually as her adopted son, and in later seasons of the show falls in love with Lt. Andy Flynn and marries him. She dies of a heart attack during the last season. Deputy Chief (later Chief) Thomas "Tommy" Delk (Courtney B. Vance): Initially an LAPD Deputy Chief in charge of handling matters relating to terrorism, he is Brenda's main rival for the position of Chief of Police. Upon selection for the position, Delk offers Brenda Pope's job as Assistant Chief of Operations, which she declines — supporting Pope to fight to stay in the position. Delk's unexpected death puts departmental changes on hold. Detective Ross (Conan McCarty): A Robbery Homicide detective whose loyalties are with Commander Taylor. Family Willie Rae Johnson (Frances Sternhagen): Brenda’s mother. Willie Rae was the buffer between Brenda and her father, and her enthusiasm for Brenda's work at times embarrassed Brenda. Despite this, she and Brenda had a close, loving relationship. She dies near the end of Season 7 after asking to tell Brenda something that she dies before she can express. Brenda is left devastated by her death and the fact that she brushed her mother off and so would never know what she had wanted to say. Clay Johnson (Barry Corbin): Brenda's father. Clay