PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Philadelphia police officer has been charged with perjury and other counts after investigators say he gave false statements and testimony in the arrest of a person accused of a firearms violation.
Officer Daniel Levitt was arrested Thursday morning, a police spokesman said. The 12-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department was also suspended with the intent that he will be fired after 30 days, police said.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s office charged Levitt with perjury, official oppression and unsworn false statements. Prosecutors said he turned himself in and was released on his own recognizance.
Attorney information for Levitt was not immediately available in court records. Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 President John McNesby said the union plans to help with Levitt’s defense.
“First off, this officer is entitled to due process like any other citizen accused of a crime. The FOP will vigorously defend the officer against these baseless charges,” McNesby said in an emailed statement.
In 2021, police conducted an audit of citywide arrests of persons charged with firearms violations. During that audit, an investigation into an April 28, 2021, arrest performed by Levitt found he had violated departmental policy and allegedly committed criminal perjury, according to a police statement Thursday.
Police did not elaborate on the arrest or disclose the name of the person arrested on firearms charges.
Prosecutors said the initial arrest involved a car stop where a van allegedly ran through a stop sign. Three officers including Levitt were involved. Prosecutors said Levitt asked the passenger to get out of the car, and initiated a search of the van.
Levitt noted in his report and testified during a preliminary hearing that the gun in question was visible, sticking out of an unzipped bag.
But prosecutors said Thursday that the gun was inside a closed bag that was opened by Levitt during the search. They allege there was no reason for the search based on the initial allegations of running a stop sign.
Prosecutors said all three officers were wearing body cameras that recorded the incident.
Prosecutors said the charges against the civilian were related to not having a permit to carry the firearm in Philadelphia. As a result of the information found in the audit, prosecutors dismissed the charge against that defendant in December.
The other two officers are not facing charges in this incident, but prosecutors said Thursday that the police department’s audit team had referred other cases to the office that are still under investigation.
