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"You trying to make me feel like I ran back in time?"
"What can I say, Allen? This'll always be home."
Barry Allen and David Singh[src]

Chief David Singh is the chief of police of the Central City Police Department, the husband of Rob, and a good friend of Joe West and Barry Allen.

Eventually, Singh got promoted to Chief of Police by the Mayor and promoted Joe to his previous position. Before leaving, he revealed he had long deduced that Barry is the Flash. Later, Singh was trapped in the Mirrorverse by Eva McCulloch and replaced with a mirror duplicate. Eventually, Iris West managed to locate Singh and when Eva was defeated, David was released from the Mirrorverse along with the other prisoners. When Joe retired, Singh helped him come to terms with the changes in his life while occasionally visiting Team Flash, whom he tried to help fight Zoom.

Biography[]

Original multiverse[]

Sometime prior to 2012, David Singh became the captain of police in Central City.

Hiring Barry Allen[]

In late 2012, David interviewed Barry Allen after the latter applied for a position as a CSI for the Central City Police Department. Singh would later recall that Barry had half the experience that other applicants did, but something that Barry said in the interview was a major factor in David's decision to hire him; Barry said that he wanted to help the victims; the innocents (by contrast to everyone else, who talked about going after the guilty; the criminals) and felt that Central City deserved to have someone like that working to uphold the law.[1]

Undercover cops[]

Dinah is introduced to Vincent

Captain Singh introducing Dinah to Vincent

In 2013, David gave an assignment to Dinah Drake who used the undercover name "Tina Boland". They were joined by Vincent Sobel. David assigned Dinah to assist Vincent in his undercover assignment as a member of the gang of drug dealer Sean Sonus. Having had the assignment for a while, Vincent already knew that the new assignment was dangerous; Dinah accepted David's offer though.[2]

Encountering meta-humans[]


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After a bank was robbed, David Singh was present at the crime scene. He was annoyed at Barry Allen's lateness, but allowed him to proceed with surveying the crime scene.[3]

When Barry returned to work following his coma, Singh requested DNA evidence from him in regards to the Hotchkiss case. Barry promised to bring it right to him.[4] Later that day, he sent Barry, Eddie Thawne and Joe West to the scene of a homicide.[5]

At the scene of a robbery, although there only appeared to be one person, Barry determined that there was in fact six, all with the same shoe size, which he noted to funnily enough be the same as Captain Singh's, prompting him to apologize and reassure that obviously Singh was not a suspect. David and Detective Thawne promptly walked away. Later in the investigation, after the robber, identified as Danton Black, began shooting up a Stagg Industries warehouse, Singh and the rest of the department suited up to backup the two detectives already there.[6]

Singh approached Barry looking for the fiber analysis on the Orloff case. Barry told the captain that he'd finished it and promised to bring it down for him, though Singh was skeptical that Barry would be quick, so he decided to tag along behind, along with Caitlin Snow. He queried who she was and she claimed to be Barry's personal physician. As they reached his lab, Barry handed Captain Singh his findings and Singh surveyed the lab, telling him to clean it up (unbeknownst to him, Barry had used his super speed to put together the case file).[7]

After a failed attempt to rob the Kahndaq Dynasty diamond, Singh was at the scene, where he was told by a guard there were three men involved. When Barry arrived, Barry corrected Singh that there were actually four men. After Barry gave his reasoning, Singh sarcastically thanked Barry for his insight.[8]

Captain Singh is seen eating a burger and fries, telling Joe that his boyfriend (later fiancée) is trying to make him eat healthier and the precinct was the only place he could eat what he wanted.[6] He later allowed an adamant and pushy Eddie Thawne to begin a task force against The Flash.[9]

After the return of Leonard Snart, Captain Singh allowed S.T.A.R. Labs help out the police force, by designing an ice-proof ballistics shield. Cisco Ramon demonstrated the shield using a dummy, but Singh was skeptical that it would work well with real officers. A while later, Singh attended the scene of a fight between Captain Cold and Heat Wave, learning of the legitimate existence of the Flash. He attempted to stop Detective Thawne from helping out The Flash, but was unable to. However, Eddie survived and was rushed away from the fight by The Flash. Before long, the two men were stopped and handcuffed. They were led through the police precinct by Captain Singh, who had to help intervene when Rory accidentally came loose from the police escorting him.[10]

Original timeline[]

Mark Mardon returned to get revenge for his brother's death. His outrage on Joe, causes Singh to put protective service on Joe. After Mardon attacks the police station, Singh is hospitalized trying to protect Joe from Mardon's attack, having taken severe physical and mental damage.

Current timeline[]

Later, when Barry accidentally went back in time by one day, he captured Mardon before he had a chance to attack the police station, preventing Singh from ever being hurt.

When DA Cecile Horton interrogated Eddie for supposedly shooting two cops, Singh tried to defend him. Despite Barry pointing out the lack of physical evidence tying Eddie to the shooting, Cecile was unmoved, given the cruiser dashcam footage. Singh, along with Barry and Cecile, later watched video footage of the Flash battling Hannibal Bates, who could shapeshift into a multitude of different people, including Eddie. Cecile remarked that the law needed to change to adapt to metahumans. Singh added that they're all lucky the Flash exists to protect them.[11]

In May 2015, Singh and Rob went on their honeymoon.[12]

Battling Zoom[]


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Zoom arrives at CC Jitters

David holding Zoom at gunpoint

Singh, now having grown a beard, asks Joe about Al Rothstein's death. When asking about Cisco, the latter arrives, comments about Singh's beard and brings "the boot", a technology so the CCPD officers can now stop evil meta-humans. After that, Singh tells Cisco that he wouldn't give him a badge.[13] Around spring 2015, Patty Spivot became a member of the force under Singh.[14] When Zoom beat the Flash, he ran to the police station holding the Flash to show what had happened to their "hero". David, along with the entire police station, held Zoom at gunpoint. Singh ordered to open fire though he caught all the bullets with one hand, leaving everyone terrified.[15]

Eddie Thawne's photograph on the wall of CCPD

David with Julian Albert

Julian Albert was added to the CCPD by David in the forensics department.[16][17]

Aiding Green Arrow[]

Months later, Singh got a phone call from an unknown person. The person told him that he some needs information. Singh asked the person who is he, and he said that he is Green Arrow. Singh, who didn't believe him, asked for proof. Seconds later, the Flash came into his office and put a note that says "HE'S LEGIT", before running away from there. Singh, realized he's really talking to Green Arrow, asked him what he wants to know. Green Arrow asked for information about Tina Boland, a former Police detective of the CCPD. Singh told him that after her partner, Vincent Sobel, got killed, she quit the CCPD and they haven't heard from her since.[18]

Barry's return[]

Six months following Barry's mysterious sabbatical, Singh welcomed him back as they were investigating the murder scene of Kurt Weaver. As Cisco joined them, flaunting his CSI card, Singh asked Barry and Joe if their colleague was aware that his "badge" was plastic. Cisco then tapped into the elevator used to kill Weaver and determined that a form of malware seized control of it.[19]

Suspending Barry[]

One day, Clifford and Marlize complained to Captain Singh that Barry was harassing them, so Singh forced him to apologize. However, the next day, Singh received another complaint from Marlize, who had photographic evidence of Barry breaking into her home. Singh suspended Barry for this and told him to be grateful he wasn't under arrest.[20]

The West-Allen wedding[]

Despite Barry's suspension, Singh and Rob attended his and Iris' wedding. Singh sat next to Mick Rory, who he surprisingly didn't recognize despite arresting him a long time ago. He asked Mick if he knew him, to which Mick shook his hand and introduced himself. As Cecile sat in the row in front of them, Mick remarked he hates lawyers as much as cops. Rob asked his husband if Mick was a colleague, which Singh insisted was not the case. When the wedding was attacked by Nazis from Earth-X, David and Rob were whisked to safety by the Flash and Kid Flash, who revealed themselves as Barry and Wally West, respectively. Mick later wiped Singh's and everyone else's memories to keep their secret identities safe.[21]

Barry's trial and aftermath[]

On Christmas, David arrested Barry for (supposedly) murdering Clifford DeVoe, but David suspected Barry was innocent.[22]

When Joe and Cisco were studying a case of people poisoned by radiation, David apologized to Joe about having to testify against Barry and was willing to let Joe rest. When David was called to testify, Cecile asked him about Barry and David revealed that Barry told him in his job interview that he was more concerned about helping the victims. David assured he was a good man, but the prosecutor cross-examined Barry's repetitive tardiness and his six months absence and that David was covering for him.

The responsible for the radiation poisoning was found; it was Neil Borman. He did not do it maliciously, but unwittingly. David and other policemen were trying to stop him, but it made Neil more scared and increased the level of radiation he was already uncontrollably producing. As The Flash, Barry took David and other cops further back from the scene for their safety. He alongside Cisco managed to stop his radiation for a while and sent him to Tracy Brand's laboratory. While Barry was being sentenced, David was celebrating the Flash's heroic act.[1]

Despite the fact that Barry has been cleared of all charges of murder, David had been ordered by Van Buren, the mayor of Central City to suspend Barry from CCPD indefinitely (which is actually a polite way of saying that Barry is being fired from his job; albeit he does so reluctantly) until Barry could unambiguously prove his innocence on the basis that most individuals are doubtful that it was Clifford who was in the courtroom that day, due to the existence of meta-humans. David is the only one of his co-workers who believed in Barry's innocence and even offered to fight his suspension on his behalf, but the latter politely declined, since he did not want David to get into trouble because of him.[23]

Enlightenment[]

David called Barry, and left a message that Buren had allowed him to get his job back due to Iris's blog posts about DeVoe's activity as the Thinker. However, this phone call got cut off, along with all of the other power in Central City, as DeVoe's Enlightenment began. When DeVoe intended to send the satellite to Central City, Singh was helping the people to safety. After the Flash with help of another speedster destroyed the satellite, Singh applauded his heroism alongside Cisco, Ralph and the citizens.[24]

Welcoming Barry back[]

David received Barry back to the CCPD. David told Barry that during his suspension, there were many files pending for revision.[25] When they investigate a robbery and having a conversation, Nora assured Captain Singh that everything would be safe as long as he was in command. Barry mentioned to her he was Captain Singh, and David and Nora shook hands while Nora told him she read a lot about him. She claimed to be a CSI intern hired by Barry to help him with cases pending during his suspension. Barry confirmed it, and David accepted it but asked Barry to officialize it later. Then Iris met him to speak about Gridlock, and David agreed to do only for this time, with the condition that his testimony be off the record and only because she was Barry's wife. Then, David revealed to Iris the truck where Gridlock was taken in custody in was assaulted. The policemen there were injured, and Gridlock was murdered.[26]

Hunt for Cicada[]

When Cicada started a killing spree in Central City, Singh ordered all policemen to find any Intel on Orlin Dwyer. Barry and Cecile approached to him to tell him that there was a cop giving information to Cicada.

Later Cecile and him called Jonesy about why he accessed the meta-humans criminal record. Cecile then gave him the fact that the time he was controlled by a meta gave him anger that he embraces. He then witnessed Jones attempt to escape proving that he is guilty and hear what he said about his hatred of meta-humans and Singh remind him that he once swore that he will protect Central City's citizens which he failed.[27]

When police captain Dinah Drake contacted him to get information about Stanley Dover's arrest, he told her about Cicada and showed concern for her. He also gave her a moral boost that she would recover the trust of her police partners.[28]

When Cicada planned to create a virus that would kill all Metas, Joe and Cecile tried to convince him to allow metahumans to come to the police station and take the cure S.T.A.R. Labs made for them, but due to its political repercussions, David went to the City Hall and put Joe in charge.[29]

After Cicada's defeat, he congratulated Barry, Cecile and Joe of their great job at protecting the metahumans from Cicada. He then tells them that he would become the chief of police and named Joe as his successor as police captain, and saying he would get all help he needed from the Flash directly looking at Barry revealing that he knew the Flash's true identity.[30]

Anti-Monitor Crisis[]

During the Anti-Monitor Crisis, David as well as everyone in the multiverse except for the seven Paragons, was killed in an antimatter wave by the Anti-Monitor on December 10, 2019,[31] only to be restored a month later, after the Paragons and the Spectre created a new universe.[32]

Erased future[]

In a future that Barry and Iris accessed through Nora's memories, David became governor. He later appeared in an archive in the Flash Museum, mentioning that Cicada killed more people than Zoom or the Red Death.[33] Due to Nora being erased from existence, this future was erased.[30]

New multiverse[]

He was the police captain of the Central City Police Department as of 2000. When a confrontation caused blackouts in Central City Hospital, he came to see what happened.[34]

At some point in the history of Earth Prime, David learned the secret identity of The Flash.[35]

Trapped in the Mirrorverse[]

As Chief of the Central City Police Department, Captain Joe West answers to him, so when Joe decided to build a R.I.C.O. case against Joseph Carver and Black Hole, in general, David was his supervisor.[36] However, at some point, he was sent to the Mirrorverse through the mirror gun and cloned by Eva McCulloch.[37]

Iris felt signals of him were in that dimension's version of Central City Hospital.[38] However, Kamilla Hwang could not find him there.[39] Iris wrote a message to Kamilla and David to reunite at the Speed Lab.[40]

When Iris and Kamilla found him there, Kamilla and David fainted due to the damage received from being transferred to the Mirrorverse through the Mirror Gun. Barry, who was affected by the Artificial Speed Force dampening his empathy, chose to spend the tachyons on releasing Iris rather than saving the others due to thinking she had more knowledge on Eva.[39]

He, alongside the other prisoners in the Mirrorverse, was released when Eva decided to stop her plans. When he met Daisy Korber in the CCPD building, he told her that they were alive and should be thankful to a certain speedster and his better half for that.[35]

Return[]

During the attack on Central City by the Speed Force, Joe West left David and Rob to take care for his daughter Jenna.[41] David and Rob got his mother one computer last Christmas.

Eventually, Singh returned to the CCPD labs and warned Barry about a new criminal in the city, and then visited Joe at his house and took him to the Jitters, advising him to accept the changes in his life. After counseling Joe, Singh went to the West house, where he played Dungeons and Dragons with his friends.[42]

Barry's birthday and Bloodwork's crisis[]

He alongside Kristen Kramer, John Diggle and some of Barry's closer people went to S.T.A.R. Labs to celebrate his birthday. David and Kristen had a discussion on whether a human or a metahuman is better as a police captain. The party was interrupted by Ramsey Rosso affecting the beverages and making them Blood Brothers. They regained control of their body after Oliver Queen depowered Ramsey.[43]

Battle with Zoom[]

When Zoom attacked Central City again, Singh, Kristen Kramer, and Daisy Korber tried to fight him off to get revenge for the Metapocalypse, though they allowed Khione and Mark Blaine to stop Zoom. Later, Singh went to the birth of Nora West-Allen and gave the ring to Joe to propose to Cecile Horton.[44]

Personality[]

"David's all bark. A very loud bark."
Rob[src]

David takes his job as a police captain very seriously, he seems to believe Barry Allen to be sloppy and perpetually tardy, completely unaware of the reason why he is always late, this seriousness reached greater heights upon the existence of powered people became public knowledge, due to so many of such people residing in Central City and terrorizing its non-powered citizens. During a case, he is typically very harsh and doesn't tolerate much of Barry's tardiness or light humor. Despite this, David cares very much for those under him in the Central City Police Department, going out of his way to assist them in any way if they get into a pinch, diverting the resources at his disposal (as well as assets beyond thereof) if he must, as seen when he strongly recommended Joe West to stay in close protection when Joe was being targeted by a meta-human and later took a hit (from a lightning bolt) for him when Mark Mardon came to kill Joe and before that, he even suggested Joe to have his daughter, Iris West, contact the Flash for assistance; he also pleaded with the district attorney when Eddie Thawne was accused of shooting two police officers.

It is revealed by David's husband, Rob, that he actually respects Barry and speaks quite highly of him, also stating that David "is all bark. A really loud bark". Despite David's serious demeanor, he does have a romantic side, he mentions that his boyfriend is trying to encourage him to eat better, when he mentions that they are now engaged, it suggests he is more than capable of maintaining a relationship as well as handling a case, after being married for over six months, David has been displayed to have matured somewhat, displaying a less abrasive side to others. He has also come to express extreme trust in the Flash's heroism, intentions and deeply respects the "Scarlet Speedster".

David's tough exterior seems to function as a coping mechanism given his extremely stressful line of work and his responsibilities as a Captain. During Hannibal Bates's crime spree he talks to Barry who is concerned for the captain's stress levels in the tone of a peer and equal, giving Barry a look into the man behind the badge, improving their personal and working relationship significantly, as evidenced by their lack of conflict beyond that point.

Despite being a police captain, David can sometimes be quite gullible; for example, after Clifford DeVoe, who appeared to be kind-hearted individual, claimed that Barry was harassing him for no clear reason (in truth, the latter was only conducting the necessary investigation) David wrongfully suspended Barry from the CCPD without hearing his side of the story first.

In addition to David's trust for the Flash, he displays trust and camaraderie with Barry. After Barry was framed by Clifford and Marlize DeVoe for murder, David and Joe West were his only co-workers who believed in his innocence; due to working alongside Barry for years, as David knows Barry well enough to know that he would never commit the crimes he was being accused of. David was also genuinely happy when he was allowed to end Barry's suspension. When revealing to Barry that he is aware of him being the Flash, he shows gratefulness and admiration for Barry's assistance to the CCPD as the Flash.

David's caring side was seen in his interactions with Dinah Drake. When she contacts him, he showed concern about her and makes it clear there is nothing wrong with being a metahuman when he mentioned the situation about Orlin Dwyer terrifying the city. David takes the vow of protecting the citizens very seriously, when one of his subordinates, Jones is revealed to be an accomplice of Orlin Dwyer, he displays complete disgust at Jones' actions.

Abilities[]

  • Peak of human physical condition: As a member of the CCPD, David is in top physical condition.
  • High-level intellect/Expert detective: As a former police detective, David is a highly skilled detective; as he was able to deduce that Barry Allen is the Flash.
  • Expert hand-to-hand combatant: As a former police captain, David is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant; as he had received training, as all Central City Police Department members do.
  • Expert marksman: As a former police captain, David is highly skilled in the use of firearms; as he was able to shoot multiple precise shots at Zoom, which were only ineffective because the speedster caught the bullets.

Weaknesses[]

Former weaknesses[]

  • Mirrorverse mind damage: Due to being brought to the Mirrorverse through a Mirror Gun, he could faint at times.[39] Since Eva released him from the Mirrorverse, this weakness no longer applies.

Equipment[]

Former Equipment[]

  • Glock 17: Singh used this weapon when he was a detective.

Appearances[]

Arrow[]

Season 2

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8


The Flash[]

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9


Vixen[]

Season 1[]

Stretched Scene[]

Supergirl[]

Season 3[]

Comics[]

The Flash: Season Zero[]

Novels[]

Behind the scenes[]

  • In the DC comics, David Singh is the director of the Central City Police Department's crime lab, who takes Barry Allen into his lab on Captain Frye's orders.
  • In the New 52 reboot of the Flash comics, Singh is romantically tied to Hartley Rathaway.

References[]


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