IL - Officer loses gun, last seen on top of his car

[illinisnare]

This happened on Thursday last. They still haven't found it, but are spending a few hours each day looking along the 5.5 mile trip he took with k9 units and metal detectors. 8-10 inches of snow aren't helping matters.

I'm content in knowing that I am protected in my home, and hope that no children find it.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/courts_crime_fire/2008/02/03/officers_issue_warning__about_lost

*edit* They are now reporting he was headed to a security gig. Can anyone tell me why retired/off duty LEO can carry in IL and I can't?

 

[ilbob]

I wonder what really happened.

Can anyone tell me why retired/off duty LEO can carry in IL and I can't?

Its simple. Their lives are valuable to the state and ours are not. They need LEOs to control the rest of us.

 

[WayneConrad]

Who should we write to?

 

[Blackfork]

Day in, day out..

Law Enforcement is burning its reputation as being just, fair, logical, or even rational.

This is disasterous for the country at large.

 

[bakerj]

Well, all the snow melted last night and thats right behind my house. Wonder if there is a reward?

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Urbana Police still answer to the county level officials.

http://www.co.champaign.il.us/COUNTYBD/cbmembers.pdf

^
There is a list of all the Champaign County Board officials including e-mail and home street address, etc.

If you want to make this a hot button topic, there's no better way than to make the old axiom about what rolls downhill work to your advantage.

The wheels of justice may turn slowly with regard to court cases, but the court of public opinion moves awfully fast when you get the people on your side. And, make the elected officials realize they have to protect their phony baloney jobs.

Be aware though: Any communication with a public official with regard to public affairs can be seen as public record in most places.

 

[Anonymous Coward]

If you don't live in Urbana, Ill., I would suggest minding your own business.

*edit* They are now reporting he was headed to a security gig. Can anyone tell me why retired/off duty LEO can carry in IL and I can't?

Why do you think off-duty law enforcement are allowed to carry firearms?

 

[Old Dog]

This thread is not about activism.

Quote:
Can anyone tell me why retired/off duty LEO can carry in IL and I can't?

Its simple. Their lives are valuable to the state and ours are not. They need LEOs to control the rest of us.

Actually, if those of you in Illinois want to campaign against off-duty and retired cops being able to carry, good luck with ever getting concealed carry for all the rest of you non-LEO citizens.

Day in, day out..

Law Enforcement is burning its reputation as being just, fair, logical, or even rational.

This is disasterous for the country at large.

All righty, then.

 

[WayneConrad]

Well. I didn't ask who to write to because I thought we should write. Was more pointing my finger up at the title of this here section and wondering if the OP meant to post this in general and goofed. Should have been more direct, I guess. Sorry.

 

[illinisnare]

I posted in Activism so the other IL users could see this prior to IGOLD next month.

 

[illinisnare]

If you don't live in Urbana, Ill., I would suggest minding your own business.

Quote:
*edit* They are now reporting he was headed to a security gig. Can anyone tell me why retired/off duty LEO can carry in IL and I can't?
Why do you think off-duty law enforcement are allowed to carry firearms?

I thought they were allowed to carry firearms to protect themselves and their families. I think the rest of us should have the same right.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

At least the guy admitted his rather serious mistake; he has been nicely de-pantsed for everyone and will likely see a job change in his future.

Concealed carry will 'happen' in Illinois when citizens decide the time is right and enough is just enough.

 

[ilbob]

At least the guy admitted his rather serious mistake; he has been nicely de-pantsed for everyone and will likely see a job change in his future.

What makes you think that?

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Losing a weapon is not something easily forgotten about. Depending on the politics of the situation, he is probably being pinned to a board like a frog awaiting dissection being made to squirm.

Or maybe he's well-connected. In either case I can't see an activism angle to this story apart from joining a mob of angry citizens filled with indignation but (as said) not being from Chambanna I'm not so worried about it.

 

[ilbob]

my guess is he will get some grief from it from fellow officers, maybe some kind of reprimand. thats about it.

if it is a department issued gun he might have to pay to replace it. or not.

 

[Barr]

I think the real concern is if a child gets hurt with it along the side of the road etc. The antis will make hay with that all week long. Also, if some criminal picks up the gun and uses it in a crime. I am certain that the anti crowd will find some way to place a negative slant on it. As in, "Police officers shouldn't carry guns either, just like Britain."

 

[coyotehitman]

I did not pay to read the whole archived article, but...

Can anyone tell me why retired/off duty LEO can carry in IL and I can't?

I bet it is because he has dealt with the decay of western civilization for a number of years and earned it.

Day in, day out..

Law Enforcement is burning its reputation as being just, fair, logical, or even rational.

This is disasterous for the country at large.

The guy could have just reported his gun stolen and saved potential ridicule, discipline, and scrutiny.

my guess is he will get some grief from it from fellow officers, maybe some kind of reprimand. thats about it.

if it is a department issued gun he might have to pay to replace it. or not.

Reprimand, that's about it???

1. Discipline in an officer's file can last from 6 months to indefinitely
2. Discipline can/will prevent an officer from being promoted or securing employment with another LE agency for any length of time from 1 year to forever
3. If progressive discipline is utilized by this department or harm occurrs because of this incident, this officer could be fired
4. If the department owns the gun, I'm sure he will pay for it


How would some of you feel if you lost your job or had a permanent black mark in your employment record because you made a mistake?

 

[ilbob]

How would some of you feel if you lost your job or had a permanent black mark in your employment record because you made a mistake?

That kind of thing happens to people every day. You screw up bad, and it has negative effects on your career. Why should a subset of government employees be exempt from reality?

People are fired for making innocent comments that are later considered to not be PC enough. Or for making a private phone call while at work. Is that fair?

I am not calling for this guy to be beheaded or anything. Only pointing out that he is extermely unlikely to receive any kind of substantive punishment for his trangression. I am not even sure he should. From the legal side, his transgression should be treated exactly the same way that it would be treated if he was not a cop. And what he did might not be against his agency's rules, or might warrant a minor penalty under those rules.

 

[coyotehitman]

You probably do not realize this ilbob, but LE departments are some of the most discipline happy, political, blackballing institutions on earth. It is a well kept secret, but we endure some downright abusive work environments. Civilian jobs are much less strict, on average. Screwing up severely on a civilian job or being terminated without cause, in most cases, will not preclude you from ever working in that profession again. Get suspended, get a few reprimands or write ups, you are good to go. If any of this happens to an LE officer, he will never work in LE again. Heck, most civilian employers will only provide your dates of employment during a background check, in LE it is public record and everything in your file, with the exception of personal identifying information, is laid on the table.

Consider the following:

Bob the machinist will not be fired for getting an OVI, Bob the cop will.

Bob the florist will not get suspended for sitting on his deck in his work trousers, after work, drinking a Bud Light, Bob the cop will.

Bob the banker will not receive a written reprimand for having too many wrinkles in his slacks, Bob the cop will.

Bob the accountant will not be removed from his position because his wife made an allegation that he pushed her during a domestic altercation two weeks prior with no proof evident, Bob the cop will.

Bob the production manager gets drunk on his own time at a party in a private residence, passes out, pees himself, and has a photo taken during his stupor which someone posts on the web, his boss ribs him over it. The same thing happens with Bob the cop and he is suspended or terminated for conduct unbecoming an officer.

Most folks do not understand this stuff. Living life in a glass house is not fun when folks are constantly throwing rocks.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

good points, Coyotehitman.

 

[ilbob]

You probably do not realize this ilbob, but LE departments are some of the most discipline happy, political, blackballing institutions on earth.

Actually, I recognize that many LE agencies are very strict about things that matter little, while at the same time being very lax on things that do.

back when I lived in Chicago, it was reported (by Royko IIRC) that any cop in uniform shown in the newspaper or on TV without his hat on got an automatic 5 day suspension. didn't matter why. At the same time, CPD officers almost routinely engaged in criminal activity that the department was well aware of, and no action at all was taken.

more recently, the Rockford, IL police chief ordered two of his officers to destroy evidence and perjure themselves, they did so, and were then promoted. another officer is about to be fired for using department computers to post unflattering comments about the chief on a blog.

 

[HonorsDaddy]

Old Dog

You said:

Actually, if those of you in Illinois want to campaign against off-duty and retired cops being able to carry, good luck with ever getting concealed carry for all the rest of you non-LEO citizens.

Not terribly high road of you, and in case you forgot, you serve those non-LEO's.

I would strongly suggest you remember who works for whom sir. Your attitude is why a good chunk of the nation has lost respect for law enforcement.

I find your ill-formed opinion to be quite offensive and insulting - not to mention pretty damned arrogant.

 

[ilbob]

Actually, if those of you in Illinois want to campaign against off-duty and retired cops being able to carry, good luck with ever getting concealed carry for all the rest of you non-LEO citizens.

Ironically, the post he was referring to never suggested doing this at all. It does show you the depth of entitlement many cops do feel though.

 

[alsaqr]

Another man made a boo-boo and left a gun on top of his car: Happens all the time to hunters and shooters. Happened to me; luckily, I had to open a gate and saw the long gun on top the truck box. Found a nice Weatherby rifle along the road once. Put an ad in the paper and the very happy guy came and got his slightly scratched gun. He had laid it on top of his Jeep.

The fact that the man is a policeman should not matter. In many states he would be verbally reprimanded and given a pass: But this is in PRIL.

 

[ilbob]

The fact that the man is a policeman should not matter.

+1