The Shield Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Tavon Garris
Tavon-garris-2
Affiliation: Strike Team
Los Angeles Police Department
 
Status: Alive
Played by: Brian White
Season(s): 2 - 3 - 7
First episode: "Coyotes"
Last episode: "Animal Control"


Tavon Garris was a Los Angeles Police Department detective working at the Barn in Farmington. He was brought to the Barn after Lanie Kellis recommended a minority member on the Strike Team, becoming their fifth member. Despite being well-liked by Detective Vic Mackey and Lem, Shane Vendrell became jealous of him resulting in them having a fight over a perceived racist comment. As a result, Tavon ended up in a coma. After recovering, he went to work with the Hollywood's Vice Division, where he collaborated with the Strike Team one last time.

Before Season 2[]

Tavon Garris had been working at Special Crimes Division for the last years.

Season 2[]

When Lanie Kellis, a civilian auditor, suggested that the Strike Team add a minority member, Captain David Aceveda started bringing potential candidates for Vic Mackey to consider. Eventually, Tavon met with Vic several times and he chose him as their newest member.

2x10-tavon-lem-louis

Tavon and Lem interrogate Louis.

During Tavon's first day, Mackey had Lem work with him on a car-theft sting they were planning for some time. The leader of the car thieves was a man called Denon. Tavon and Lem started interrogating Louis, who was Denon's cousin, trying to convince him to cooperate with them. When Louis called Lem a "cracker cop", Tavon lost control and started beating him until Lem pulled him apart. However, when Lem threatened him, Louis agreed to work with them.

Since Denon didn't know Tavon, he was set to pose undercover with Louis, who would introduce him to Denon as a fellow car thief from Detroit. Tavon and Louis met with Denon in the street and Denon started asking questions to Tavon to know where he came from. Tavon told him he used to hang with a crew called the Fourth Street Clown Posse. When Denon was convinced, Tavon told him he had a fleet of Expeditions coming. Denon then agreed to pay him $10,000 for each truck. When Tavon told him that wasn't what he received in Detroit, Denon got angry and told him he wasn't in Detroit. Tavon backed off and agreed to pay him the money.

2x10-tavon-st

Tavon brings his transfer papers to Vic.

After they set out a meeting place, Tavon and the Strike Team managed to arrest Denon and bring him to the Barn. As they were bringing him in, Captain Aceveda asked Tavon if they were treating him well, and he said they were. Later that night, Tavon brought Vic Mackey all of his transfer papers signed. He told him that all he had to do was call his old commander to let him know if he would stay. Vic then told him that he could stay longer. Shane Vendrell then warned him to be ready for more than auto thieves, and Tavon assured him he couldn't wait to follow his lead.

Some time later, Tavon was at the Barn when Captain Aceveda issued an arrest warrant on fugitive Dante Fell. Tavon and the rest of the Strike Team took flyers to see Dante's mugshot and information. Tavon then went to the mess hall where Lanie Kellis approached him. Knowing he was the new guy in the team, Lanie tried to convince Tavon of spying on Mackey to get her information. Tavon didn't answer to her and went to the clubhouse. When he entered, Shane commented on how he was talking with Lanie. He told them it was nothing and Vic recommended him to stay away from her. They then left to interrogate Kern Little, an old friend of Dante.

When they arrived at Kern's studio, Vic and Shane introduced Tavon to him. Tavon started looking around all the equipment and Kern asked his girl to show Tavon around. This gave time to Vic, Shane, and Kern to talk in private. When they finished, Vic called for Tavon to leave. As they were driving, Vic noticed a car was following them. After telling Tavon and Shane about it, he told Tavon to get out of the car on a street corner, so he could take a look at the car's license plate. Tavon did and after some time, Vic and Shane picked him up again.

They then stopped by Frogger's apartment, but the manager told them she hadn't seen Frogger in a few days. Tavon then talked her into opening the apartment alleging that Frogger might be hurt inside.

Season 3[]

Tavon was well-liked by Vic Mackey, who began grooming him as a possible protégé. However, Shane Vendrell and Tavon developed a deep rivalry based on Shane's jealousy and racism. At Vic's urging, Tavon visited Shane at his apartment in an effort to end the feud. However, they got into a bloody fight in which Tavon eventually overpowered Shane. Shane's fiancé Mara then hit Tavon on the head with an iron. He stumbled away and drove off in his van, but in his impaired condition he crashed into a parked car and was thrown through the windshield, leaving him in a coma.

In All In Vic tried to convince Tavon that he nearly killed a pregnant Mara in a furious rage, but Tavon only believes it when a reluctant Lem convinces him. This protected Shane, since Tavon didn't tell anyone that he went over to Shane's and got in a fight. The character's fate is unknown, though it is hinted at by Vic that Tavon's injuries were severe enough to have him removed from active duty.

Tavon showed a tendency for brutality and even participated in an illegal wire tap set up by the Strike Team.

Season 7[]

Tavon's fate was unknown until the seventh season. Tavon had mostly recovered from his injuries, and returned to the force working out of Hollywood's Vice Division. He briefly reunites with the Strike Team when one of Shane's former rape suspects, long thought dead, has resurfaced by reaching out to his young daughter. Tavon confesses to Shane that he knows he didn't hit Mara and that he remembers what really happened that night.

Appearances[]

Season 2

The Quick Fix · Dead Soldiers · Partners · Carte Blanche · Greenlit · Homewrecker · Barnstormers · Scar Tissue · Co-Pilot · Coyotes · Inferno · Breakpoint · Dominoes Falling ·


Season 3

Playing Tight · Blood and Water · Bottom Bitch · Streaks and Tips · Mum · Posse Up · Safe · Cracking Ice · Slipknot · What Power Is... · Strays · Riceburner · Fire in the Hole · All In · On Tilt ·


Season 7

The Coefficient of Drag · Snitch · Money Shot · Genocide · Game Face · Animal Control · Bitches Brew · Parricide · Moving Day · Party Line · Petty Cash · Possible Kill Screen · Family Meeting ·


Advertisement