'Drunk' NYPD Officer Returned to Full Duty

The off-duty detective punished for failing a sobriety test and placed on modified duty after he shot an armed thug who allegedly was firing at him was returned to full duty this morning after the shooting was "deemed to be within department guidelines," officials said.

Det. Ivan Davison, 44, had also been stripped of his weapon following the Sunday shooting of Stephon Allston, 22, who had allegedly fired three bullets at him with a powerful Tech-9 on a street in St. Albans, Queens.

Under rules adopted by the NYPD last year, Davison was forced to take a sobriety test - and failed after his blood-alcohol level came in at 0.09.

The state limit for driving a car is 0.08.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Davison was taken off modified duty because "as the shooting was investigated, witnesses were located and the facts became known, it became apparent that the shooting was within department guidelines."

Kelly said the new policy to give cops Breathalyzer tests after they shoot their guns - an edict that came down following the No. 25, 2006 death of Sean Bell in a barrage of 50 police bullets - was "never intended to require an automatic change of duty status. Alcohol test results are weighed as part of the totality of circumstances in such cases."

Davison, a 15-year veteran who works out of Brooklyn South Narcotics, shot Allston in the arm and leg early Sunday at the intersection of Linden and Farmers boulevards.

Davison, who was off-duty, identified himself as a cop and fired five bullets after Allston fired three shots at him.

Allston and two of his buddies were beating up another man when Davison tried to break up the melee.

Allston was later arrested and charged with attempted murder. Two of Allston's accomplices, Javon Goldson, 27, and Rasheem Anderson, 24 - have been charged with attempted gang assault.

In the wake of the shooting, Detective Endowment Association President Michael Palladino controversially called on officers to "call 911 and allow the crime to continue" if they witness something while off-duty.

Kelly said Davison "took appropriate and courageous police action."

"He demonstrated what many have come to expect of New York City police officers, on duty or off, that is selfless dedication to duty," added Kelly.

Republished with permission from The New York Post

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