Grandfather's Badge: Third Generation Harrison Cop Making A Mark

Harrison, NY—It is perhaps understandable if Harrison Police Officer David Tolve Jr. feels a little extra pressure to shine. Officer Tolve is the third generation of his family to wear the Harrison PD uniform. In fact, he wears the very same badge his grandfather first pinned on when he joined the department in March of 1957 - a shield his father then wore during a storied 20-year HPD career which only ended with his retirement in 2012.

This month, however, the “rookie” of the Tolve clan is earning a legacy of his own. Officer Tolve was named the department’s Officer of the Month for March.

Officer Tolve earned the honor after a routine downtown traffic stop in February turned into a major bust due to some solid police work by the latest member of the Tolve family to wear the badge. During the stop, the alert officer discovered a stash of narcotics which included concentrated cannabis and LSD. According to police reports, he also found a large amount of money in small bills which can potentially indicate drug dealing. One suspect was arrested at the scene and now faces multiple serious drug charges including two felonies.

"Officer Tolve’s short time as a police officer has proven to be a valuable asset to the HP," an HPD spokesperson wrote in a statement announcing the award. "Congratulations Officer Tolve - well deserved."

Prior to joining the department in January of 2019, Officer Tolve earned the impressive rank of Eagle Scout in 2014. Before that, he served as a seasonal Westchester County Park Ranger from 2016 to 2018.

The newest Tolve recruit at the HPD was also involved in this month’s headline-grabbing police chase in which a bumbling would-be car thief suspect from Connecticut spent his 18th birthday behind bars following a crash involving a stolen car. The out-of-breath teen allegedly failed to convince police at the scene that he was not fleeing the accident after he could not remember the name of the girlfriend he at first claimed to be in the area visiting.