(TX) Austin police reviewing holsters after gun found in park

[TAB]

So all that should happen to him is being "hazed" by his department?

what if a kid got ahold of it and shot themselfs/others?

There is no excuse for leaving a gun anywhere, let alone a place where children are likly to be.

 

[Mark K. C.]

I think that an immediate U.A. is in order. That is just being too "spaced-out " not to notice.

 

[waterhouse]

how is that? He is still on active duty.

One must not be fired for their mistakes to serve as a lesson for others.

 

[ColinthePilot]

I'm sure his buddies will use him as an example...or just rag on him. Gotta to love the brotherhood.

If he was military, that would be the makings of a callsign right there...plus some disciplinary action, but definitely a callsign.

 

[Jeff White]

I can tell from the responses which members actually carry a firearm all the time and which don't...Yes, you do get used to all that weight, it becomes part of you and you won't necessarily notice if it changes. I learned many years ago as an Army Infantryman to conduct a "pat check" of my equipment before moving. I carried that habit over to police work.

Equipment does sometimes have problems. I had problems with the bail on a Safariland 6280 getting flipped open while I was riding in my squad. It turned out that if I shifted in my seat, it caught on the part of the seatbelt that was attached to the floor. Lowering the seat of the Impala fixed that.

Was the officer negligent for not automatically checking his equipment. Definitely. Does he deserve to be fired? No. He'll most likely get some kind of a reprimand and be teased by his fellow officers for years.

Jeff

 

[jason10mm]

Yeah, you can bet that there is now ONE officer who will maintain 100% weapon accountability from here on out in that unit

This guy just learned a valuable lesson. So long as he is not a marginal officer, seems a waste to can him. Not saying he shouldn't be punished, but termination seems a bit harsh.

 

[taprackbang]

Notice how the media inflates the story of a 'gun?' Puhhleezzz!!!!!
"Oh my, a murder weapon."

 

[DRZinn]

YMMV, I guess, but when I got used to my many pounds of gear, the sudden absence of a pistol from a thigh holster would definitely be felt. We're not talking about a magazine falling out of a chest pouch; a thigh holster is a weight on your thigh that very slightly but very noticeably restricts your movement. A sudden lightness there would be noticed immediately.

Hell, it took me a few months to get used to not having an M-16 in my right paw.

Or to having a bare head.

 

[FCFC]

So all that should happen to him is being "hazed" by his department?

what if a kid got ahold of it and shot themselfs/others?

Hey, like someone said here yesterday regarding a similar case: toddler gets ahold of a loaded legal gun in public and fires the gun--with really bad consequences.

Not good, perhaps avoidable...

Law of averages; 300m people....It is going to happen once in awhile.

He went on to say that

This [gun owner] shouldn't be hung for this - the event itself will have been enough.

Hey, brother, it happens. C'est la vie.

Que sera, sera. The event is punishment enough.

 

[Geno]

It the infamous words of Austin Powers:

Specticles, pistola, wallet and watch.

Seriously...do a pat-check to assure your firearm has not fallen out (or left home). I have seen (and read of here at THR) people who went about their daily routine thinking they had their firearm. Later in the day they had a panic attack wondering where they lost their handgun. It wasn't lost...it was right in the vault the whole time.

 

[bwavec]

No more tacticool holsters for you or any of your friends officer........

I think it sounds like mandatory trigger lock and weapon leash time for this department.

And WTH were you doing sitting on the kiddie slide ? Sounds like someone may have actually been goofing off on the playground toys when he "lost" is sidearm.

Sounds like someone is in need of a lengthy demotion to (unarmed) meter maid duty.

 

[Jeff White]

And WTH were you doing sitting on the kiddie slide ?

Most likely sitting there while the dog took a break from riding around in the vehicle. You can't expect a K9 to sit in the kennel in the car for 8 hours straight. The dogs need to take care of their bodily functions and stretch their legs just like a human officer does.

When they stop hiring human beings to do the job and switch to infallible machines, then perhaps there will never be a mistake made or an instance of carelessness.

Jeff

 

[Erik]

I'm agree with Jeff White's take on things. I shudder to think of the ribbing.

As for why a K9 Unit was in a park and at a playground, it that a serious question? Folks, K9 Units go to parks for the same reason other people with dogs do, with the added benefit of being extremely popular with the general public, and especially kids... who hang out at playgrounds in parks. I know, I know... popular UNLESS they leave their guns behind.

As for the "solution," perhaps they (and you too Jeff) should consider investing in Safariland's ALS line, engineered precisely to prevent such things.

 

[FCFC]

If a civilian were to have left his loaded handgun on a slide at the park, what would have happened to him?

 

[JColdIron]

I can see how it fell out. Either by dog or sitting on a slide, if the retention strap came undone and he went to his left knee it places the right thigh at an angle that the firearm could fall to the ground. Animal trainers frequently use this pose to get to the dogs level for praise or dicipline.

End of shift tiredness, add the extra stimuli of the of the dog and you might not notice it missing when it happened. I do not know how he missed it when when he went to sleep unless it was on his couch with all his gear on.

The big question is... what should his callsign be?

I like Doggun- like dog gone how about you?

 

[jorb]

Actually, he should have checked his equipment. Its a very good habit which will ensure he has what he needs when he needs it. He WILL be joke fodder for a long time.