Sheriff leaves gun

[Mike G from NC]

http://www.jdnews.com/news/brown_47609___article.html/gun_store.html

I hope the link works. Its about the county sheriff leaving his gun in a public restroom. The opinions are 50/50 that he even did anything wrong. Anyone else have something similar happen in your neck of the woods?

[gammyland]

There was a State Trooper here in Michigan a few months ago go into I think McDonald's to use the restroom. After he was done doing his bussiness he went on his way. It wasn't until he got to his destination, a few hours away, did he realize what he forgot. Fortunately a employee went into the bathroom for it's daily cleaning and notified the manager who contacted the local cops. The Trooper eventually got his gun back. I'm sure he'll be getting picked on for a few years.

[Tunkle]

Had a female deputy do that here. She was subsequently fired. No excuse.

[lionheart45]

This maybe different depending on how you look at it but I know plenty of guys who have left their weapon at county lockup while dropping off prisoners.

[ryeclift]

This maybe different depending on how you look at it but I know plenty of guys who have left their weapon at county lockup while dropping off prisoners.

I have done that once as well. I got about a half mile, realized I wasm issing something and went back.

[IMachU]

That's why when I make a deposit at the local gray bar hotel, I lock the guns in my trunk. At least I have them with me.

[lionheart45]

That's why when I make a deposit at the local gray bar hotel, I lock the guns in my trunk. At least I have them with me.

I put mine under the seat, lock the doors.

[ask80]

i'm sure a lot of officers accidentally leave their guns in lockups when going into jails. it's quite different from leaving it in a public bathroom. at least no one is going to steal your gun when it's locked up and you have the key.

my former sgt told me (when I was on training and making some mistakes), that all rookies make mistakes. i felt better when he told me that when he was a trainee, he was the first to respond to a bank robbery and he left his gun in the jail locker.

[Tim Dees]

Although most won't admit it, I think every cop forgets to collect his gun, sooner or later. That's why I included the item in a column from a few months back: "Always put your car keys in the same locker as your gun." If you do that at the jail, it's not likely you'll drive away without collecting the gun, and it's more secure than leaving it in the car.

Using the toilet is another situation, of course. It's better to do your thing at a rest room in a controlled environment, like your police station, but that's not always possible. One solution is to take off the whole Sam Browne, rather than just take the gun out of the holster. In the Street Survival Seminar, they used to suggest that, if you do take the gun out of your holster, you drop it in the crotch of your pants.

This kind of thing is fun to joke about, but having some kind of strategy is a serious concern.

[Bearcat357]

One of my neighbors in my apt. complex works at for a PAO with a DOD agency during the day and security for a local upscale hotel in the Crystal City area by night......

He got a call one weekend morning from housekeeping.....seems as though a FAM left his weapon in the hotel after checking out......

He also said it wasn't the first time a Fed left a weapon behind in one of their hotel rooms......

[Taylor1430]

I cannot fathom how somebody could allow that to happen. What is the purpose of removing your gun from your gun belt when hitting the john. Mine stays in the holster and the belt stays near me. I've heard stories of people leaving weapons behind and I always question why it was out in the first place.

In regards to the lock boxes...that makes more sense. We specifically remove our weapons and place them there. I can see this happening on occasion.

Tim,

Although most won't admit it, I think every cop forgets to collect his gun, sooner or later. That's why I included the item in a column from a few months back: "Always put your car keys in the same locker as your gun." If you do that at the jail, it's not likely you'll drive away without collecting the gun, and it's more secure than leaving it in the car.

That is probably the best advice I have seen in quite some time. This is something I will start getting into the habit of doing.

[pulicords]

I can understand leaving a gun secured in a lockbox at the station when you run out on a hot call as a rookie. Been there, done that (once)! But to leave a gun unsecured in a public place is literally criminal in some places, including CA. That guy should take a very heavy suspension, if not termination. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if a crook or kid picked it up prior to the preacher.

[AMT8951]

A guy I used to work with left his Glock in a locker (unlocked) at a local health club. The guy who cleans the lockers out at night found it and called the dept. Interestingly enough, he was on parole for burglary and drug offenses. I guess he thought it was a set up by his PO or something. BTW the Officer caught hell for it, but now he is the chief in a local juristiction.

[Dave5404]

I put mine under the seat, lock the doors.

It's too easy to break a window and get into the passenger area. I put mine in the trunk. In my squad car you have to have a key to open the trunk, the electronic release only works with the ignition in the on position.

[SgtCHP]

When I rode motors in Los Angeles, my former partner (and next door neighbor) consistently forgot to put on his duty belt or holster his weapon before going to work.

We worked the same shift and there were many mornings when we would ride our motors into work only to have him have to turn around and go home to get his belt and/or weapon.

Mind you, we lived forty (40) miles from the office, so his day frequently started with 160 miles on duty before he hit the beat...