Off-Duty "Drunk" Yet Heroic Detective Put Back on Duty

An off-duty detective who ended up wounding a man who fired upon him was initially sidelined from the force, for having a blood alcohol level of 0.09, slightly higher than the legal limit for driving. But now Police Commissioner Kelly has praised him as a near hero.

The Post reported that the detective, Ivan Davison had been "placed on modified duty and stripped of his weapon," after the shooting incident. Davison tried to stop a group of men beating a person and one of the attackers, Stephen Allston, had fired at him. So Davison fired back, hitting Alston in the arm and leg.

But this morning Police Commissioner Kelly reversed the decision, saying, "At grave personal risk, Detective Ivan Davison took appropriate and courageous police action to end an imminent threat of death or serious injury to himself and others...As the shooting was investigated, witnesses were located and the facts became known, it became apparent that the shooting was within department guidelines."

However, the Detectives' Endowment Association's Michael Palladino said the initial treatment meant, "When you are off duty, act in a civilian capacity. Get a good description, call 911 and allow the crime to continue." He faulted the NYPD for executing "two warrants on a detective who most likely had saved someone's life." As for Allston, he was charged with attempted murder, and his friend, Rasheem Anderson, was charged with gang assault.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 16, 2008 1:16 PM

Comments [rss]

Jen S

@Art: if it's an accounting emergency, yes.

JacqueMehoff

unless rap infiltrated the NRA the GOA and the JPFO.

eat more Pb.

2A 4eva.

kidicarus

Good call eagles.

Bingo you're a joke you deserve your garbage mentality.

Jacque you're a joke too speak in some more code like yer fav rapper man! Too cool for school! Suck my hot PB man!

eagles455

It's incredible how extraordinarily dumb some of the people on this board are...the comment by Palladino ("When you are off duty, act in a civilian capacity. Get a good description, call 911 and allow the crime to continue.") referred to the message of the police department's INITIAL response. He was saying that the off-duty cop did the right thing and that the search warrants would dissuade off-duty officers from coming to the aid of victims when crimes are in progress. He was defending the cop and saying that they should be able to take such actions again in similar situations in the future without fear of retribution.

Rocknrope

If a cop is a regular civilian off-duty, then they should not be allowed to carry a firearm when they're not on the clock. Most cops I know, however, do so.

Art Stewel

@Billiamsburg, Rocknrope, Jen S - should an accountant on the public payroll do your taxes on a Sunday?

The union president did get it wrong about civilian response to crimes in progress. Most civilians don't do anything but turn a blind eye.

Politburo

"the Detectives' Endowment Association's Michael Palladino said... allow the crime to continue."

"Another union official said: "You're a cop eight hours a day. Call 911 the rest of the time.""

And then these people probably wonder why unions get so much shit in this country.. instead of acknowledging that the City got it right, they spew this crap.

Jen S

Serve and protect, but only on the clock.

JacqueMehoff

alcohol and guns don't mix.

of all the times when you shouldn't be impaired is when you're shooting a gun.

molon labe, RKBA.

Rocknrope

"When you are off duty, act in a civilian capacity. Get a good description, call 911 and allow the crime to continue."

Really? Does this apply to firefighters as well? If so, that guy who was recently saved from a burning car should have been left to charcoal?

And what about that cop that shot the two assailants who went to rape that woman? Should that have been "allowed to continue?"

lanciano

as i have said before, if i'm getting jumped on the street, would much rather a tipsy off-duty cop come to my defense than nobody at all.

Billiamsburg

"...allow the crime to continue."

That's wonderful. If a cop sees some thugs attacking someone they (and all NYers) should let the thugs finish and escape then tell on them. Brilliant social standard.