Detective Jay Poggi had a good long run with the NYPD—31 years! And it ended last week, after he was fired by Commissioner Bill Bratton for accidentally shooting his partner in the hand during a night of drunken (on-duty) revelry.
The 57-year-old put in for retirement following last month's ordeal, in which he and his partner were ostensibly investigating a robbery in Far Rockaway but were actually knocking back drinks at an ocean side bar—After their reported 11th beer, the only thing either was fit to investigate was the bottom of their glasses. Zing!
When the drinking was done, Poggi apparently decided it was time to show his 35-year-old partner "his gun," which he then discharged straight into the younger officer's wrist. The crocked cop proceeded to drunkenly pilot his unmarked patrol car to Jamaica Hospital, where his partner, Matt Sullivan, underwent surgery.
Poggi's crafty decision to file for retirement left the department only 30 days to bring charges against him. After he refused to testify, an assistant trials commissioner recommended he be terminated. On Friday, Bratton made it so.
It's hard to muster any pity for Poggi, because he's parting ways with his pension intact. Poggi made $154,000 per year before he was fired—meaning he'll make 50% of that plus 1/64th of what he made each of the 11 years he worked past 20.
