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Philadelphia detective, under investigation for racial incident, busted for DUI and threatening an officer

Arrest report says John Komorowski was drunk with his pants unzipped. He allegedly told an officer, "I will end your career."

Detective John Komorowski allegedly threatened an officer after he was arrested for DUI last week. He was already under investigation by Internal Affairs, sources say.
Detective John Komorowski allegedly threatened an officer after he was arrested for DUI last week. He was already under investigation by Internal Affairs, sources say.Read moreTOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer

A Philadelphia homicide detective — already on desk duty after a December 2018 incident in which he was recorded using a racial slur — was arrested Thursday night after his vehicle allegedly struck two parked cars while he was intoxicated, and he told the responding officer that he would “end your career,” according to a police report obtained by The Inquirer.

Detective John Komorowski, 51, was discovered with his pants unzipped and belt undone, with bloodshot eyes, with slurred speech, and smelling of alcohol, police said. His vehicle had sideswiped two cars on Erie Avenue in North Philadelphia.

Komorowski identified himself as a police officer, and when informed that he appeared to be drunk, responded, “No s—,” according to the arrest record.

After being placed in the back of a police cruiser, the arresting officer asked Komorowski if he had a gun in his vehicle, and Komorowski allegedly responded: “I will f— you over and end your career.… I’ll find you.… Go get a gun … you piece of s—.”

Komorowski was arraigned Friday on charges of DUI and making terroristic threats, court records show. He did not respond to messages left for him Monday.

In December 2018, Komorowski appeared in a Facebook video getting out of a car in North Philly and tucking in his shirt. The man recording him claimed that Komorowski was soliciting a prostitute. Komorowski then called the man a “white n—.”

Warning: This Facebook post contains vulgar and racist language:

“I will f—ing kill you,” Komorowski told the man. It appears from the video that Komorowski was then punched and ended up face down on the ground.

Police sources confirmed that Komorowski is the man in the video, and say the 2018 incident is still under investigation by Internal Affairs. It was unclear Monday why the investigation remained open 19 months later.

“That case is still under departmental review. All aspects of the internal review have not yet been completed,” Inspector Sekou Kinebrew, a police spokesperson, said Monday.

Komorowski was paid $120,126 in 2018, the last full year of payroll information available on the city’s data website.

Staff writer Dylan Purcell contributed to this article.