Directed by Skipp Sudduth
Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn & Christopher Silber
"Officer Involved" is the 4th episode of Season 8 and the 166th overall. It originally aired October 14, 2011.
Danny and his band of rookies are involved in a shooting upon leaving a bar after work.
Tropes for the episode:
- Clear Their Name: It looks like Danny may be involved in a coverup and the team races to prove his innocence.
- Continuity: Lt. Adler from IAB reminds Mac of the investigation into Danny's involvement in the shooting of the undercover officer in episode 1.21, "On the Job." Mac had told Danny at the time that if anything like that ever happened again, it would be brought back up.
- Disappointing Promotion: Danny bemoans the fact that, as a Sergeant, he tried to mentor his group of rookies but they threw him under the bus when they got themselves in trouble, and then tells Mac he can't work with people he can't trust.
- Eye Contact as Proof: Desperate to clear Danny's name, Lindsay confronts the rookie who lied about him and says, "Look me in the eye and tell me Danny Messer told you to lie." She can't, so she turns and walks away without a word.
- Grievous Bottley Harm: Danny is knocked out with a beer bottle; thus he has no way of knowing what actually happened.
- 10-Minute Retirement: Although he is cleared, Danny gives up his rank as Sergeant and goes back to work at the Lab because he knows he can trust everyone there.
- Terminology Title: Police term for an officer firing their weapon, often with fatal results.
- Title Drop: Due to the "officer involved shooting," as the authorities refer to the situation.
- Turn in Your Badge:
- Subverted with Danny. His job is on the line because one of the rookies lies about the incident, and claims Danny told her to lie, but she recants just in time to prevent him from being fired.
- Played straight with all three of the rookies who are let go, however, due to them lying about the details of the case and throwing Danny under the bus.
