Dickinson returned to the small screen in March 1974 for an episode of the critically acclaimed hit anthology series "Police Story". The guest appearance proved to be so popular, NBC offered Dickinson her own television show, which became a ground-breaking weekly series called "Police Woman"; it was the first successful dramatic TV series to feature a woman in the title role. At first, Dickinson was reluctant, but when producers told her she could become a household name, she accepted the role. They were right. It co-starred Earl Holliman as Sergeant Bill Crowley, Anderson's commanding officer, along with Charles Dierkop as investigator Pete Royster and Ed Bernard as investigator Joe Styles. In the series, Dickinson played Sergeant Leann "Pepper" Anderson, an officer of the Los Angeles Police Department's Criminal Conspiracy Unit, who often works undercover. The series became a hit, reaching number one in many countries in which it aired during its first year. It ran for four seasons and Dickinson won a Golden Globe Award, and received Emmy Award nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Dramatic Series three consecutive years. However, in a 2019 interview, Dickinson said that she regrets having done the series, since the remuneration was inadequate and it left her with little time for other projects.