By Howard Koplowitz
For the brave act, 105th Precinct Detective David Harris received the 105th Precinct Cop of the Year award for 2005. Harris was responding to a 911 call along with fellow officer, Dominick Romano, shortly after 2 a.m. July 17 to Saints Joachim and Anne Church at 218-26 105th Ave.Minutes before the officers showed up at the church, police said an “emotionally disturbed” Queens Village resident, Kevin Davy, 25, attacked the church's statue of St. Anne – Jesus' grandmother.Davy allegedly first hacked at the statue with a sword, but when that attempt proved to be futile, he came back with a shotgun and blew the head off the religious symbol, according to authorities.When Harris and Romano arrived on the scene, police said Davy allegedly shot the officers from behind as they got out of their squad car.Romano was struck in the head and seven times in the back, but Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said at the time of the incident that the officer's bulletproof vest saved his life.Harris was shot in the leg and arm, but still managed to fire back at Davy four times, wounding the suspect.The officer's life was potentially saved by Tyrone Murphy, a registered nurse who was driving by after the attack and applied a tourniquet to Harris' shattered leg.”Because of his actions and (while) under extreme pain… he was able to save himself and save his partner,” said 105th Precinct Police Officer Brian Wimpelberg of Harris in announcing the award last week. “Thank God he shot the perp four times.”Harris quietly posed for a picture, but did not speak about what occurred last summer.The 40-year-old officer appeared to be in good shape upon receiving the award. But Community Affairs Officer Nicole Dean said he is still recovering from his injuries despite being released from Long Island Jewish Medical Center last summer, where he was admitted after the shoot-out. She said he is eager to get back to work, but the precinct has to tell him to take it easy.Harris left the meeting before it concluded and could not comment because he is still in conference with prosecutors regarding the case, an officer in the precinct said.Davy was charged with attempted murder, criminal mischief and criminal possession of a weapon. His case is still pending and he faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
