As a young Black man, Harvey Davis had a few bad encounters with police that remain forever etched in his mind. But instead of stewing on those experiences, he decided to do something about it – he became a cop.
“Being a police officer gives you the chance to help change someone’s life in a positive way. I wanted to make change for the better, so people could see police officers in a different light and see that we’re not just out here to lock someone up,” said Davis, a detective assigned to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Homicide and Non-Fatal Shootings Unit.
The tall, muscular Davis, better known as “Skip,” joined the DA’s office in 2013 after his longtime partner and friend, Ralph Lewis, made the transition and convinced him to come along. Davis will retire in December after 35 years of service to the City of Philadelphia.
“I’ve had a great career, but that career and the uniform was a chapter and then coming to the DA’s office was another chapter, and I think I’ve finished it the right way,” he said.
Davis grew up in East Mt. Airy, graduating from Northeast High School before attending Cheyney University. He graduated from the Philadelphia police academy in 1990. While in the academy, he met Lewis. The two became fast friends and worked together in the 35th Police District in Northwest Philly before both transferring to the prestigious Highway Patrol Unit.
As part of Highway Patrol, the two were often assigned as escorts for dignitaries, including several presidents, entertainers, and athletes. They have provided security for numerous mayors and elected officials and even scored a few movie cameos in films such as “The Shooter” and “Law Abiding Citizen.”
Yet, Davis says his most notable accomplishment in law enforcement has been “helping people,” whether talking with them at the front desk of the DA’s office or offering advice to someone in the back of a squad car.
“There’s been some prisoners I’ve dealt with that were locked up for various crimes, and it made me feel good to know that they felt like I gave them some good advice and that I didn’t judge them,” he said.
Davis recalled a time when he and Lewis were transporting a man convicted of murder from the DA’s office back to prison in West Virginia. They stopped at a rest stop and offered the prisoner something to eat. The prisoner eagerly thanked them for the meal, which Davis considered a small gesture. Months later, the man was released thanks to a successful appeal and spotted Davis at a club.
“He wanted to take a picture with me,” Davis recalled. “That ride we took with him didn’t do anything for me personally, but it made me feel good to know that I touched someone that way.”
Davis credits his father and his upbringing in the church for how he carries himself. He’s tried to pass the same lesson to his twin sons, one of whom is an officer in the 35th District and the other who is in the academy. He also has a daughter who is pursuing a career in the home health care industry, and a wife of 33 years, Teresa, who he said has made his career possible.
Davis said he counts it a blessing to have spent his career beside Lewis, whom he described as “loyal” and a man of integrity.
“He’s like a family member, like a brother. It’s just been a blessing to have someone like that in this line of work.”