David Hendrick, NYPD Officer, Suspended After Pulling His Gun on Rowdy Passengers Offduty on LIRR Train

New York City Police Officer David Hendrick, 38, was suspended without pay Monday following his arrest Sunday on charges that he pointed his gun at a group of passengers on a Long Island Rail Road train while off duty. Hendrick pleaded not guilty Monday in Nassau District Court in Hempstead to second degree criminal possession of a weapon, which is a felony and second degree menacing, which is a misdemeanor.

Officer David Hendrick, Police Officer Pulls Gun on LIRR Train, (NY Newsday)

According to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, or MTA, Hendrick was riding a train bound for Ronkonkoma from Penn Station in Manhattan at 9:17 p.m. Sunday. He was attempting to quiet a group of rowdy passengers on the train. The group was made up of hockey fans returning from a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. The MTA and Nassau police removed Hendrick from the train and arrested him.

Hendrick was held on $2,500 bond or $1,000 cash. If convicted he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. The judge also issued orders of protection for the four passengers he pulled his gun on. As a former resident of New York City, I have ridden on the trains many times with rowdy passengers and it is a distraction, but for him to pull his gun is just reprehensible. What if it had accidentally discharged and injured a passenger? His behavior was just reckless and was all based on a drum major instinct of showing these passengers who was "bad."

VIDEO: Off-duty cop speaks out on his LIRR arrest