Bad cop vs. good cop

• By CHANTE DIONNE WARREN
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Mar 26, 2008 - Page: 1E - UPDATED: 12:55 a.m.

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Former New Orleans police officer Robert Davis spent 22 years on the run and in exile — leaving behind his family, career, identity and his home.

But eventually his conscience and what he describes as a “sign” from heaven turned him back.

He surrendered to authorities in 2001 and was freed by a judge for a crime he committed in 1979 while doing police work.

“I still live with dishonoring that badge,” he said. “I can never go back to being a cop.”

Davis, 52, seeks to atone for his past through a variety of means including co-authoring his latest book, “Legal Minds: Detecting Rogue Police Officers.” He also has addressed audiences at a local school, college and police academy and has appeared on local radio and television news programs.

“I’ve done a lot of wrong in my life and this is about the only right thing I’ve done,” he said.

He signed a contract in May with Louisiana Media Service Productions to begin filming a movie this summer about his life.

Davis’ past is outlined in his 2007 memoir, “Cop Out,” which details his life being raised by his grandmother in New Orleans and becoming a police officer turned fugitive from the law.

Davis, influenced by other corrupt police officers, coerced a woman he was interrogating into having sex with him in 1979.

That led to Davis’ arrest and a sexual battery and malfeasance in office charge.  The sex charge was for trading sex to drop felony charges against the victim.  The malfeasance charge was for violating his police oath.

All proceeds from his memoir benefit The Stop Rape Crisis Center and several other children’s and women’s help organizations.

“I was looking at 30 years in prison — in Angola prison,” Davis said.

Convinced of the impending doom, Davis disappeared, leaving behind anything that would leave a paper trail for authorities.