SWAT officers & their firearms

[MOUNTAINORACLE]

SALT LAKE CITY — A member of Salt Lake County's SWAT team left an M4 assault rifle in front of someone's home after leaving the scene of a standoff in the township of White City.

Salt Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Levi Hughes says the gun was left by a veteran member of the SWAT team who forgot the weapon in the grass while packing up gear after the standoff ended.

A homeowner found the rifle in the front yard of a house a few hours later and notified authorities. Hughes says an officer on patrol stopped by the home and recognized the rifle as a weapon belonging to the SWAT team.

Hughes says leaving the gun behind was an unacceptable, terrible mistake. Hughes says the officer will face disciplinary action, but probably won't be fired.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,456515,00.html

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I would have returned the the rifle to the SWAT team, but only after an article from the Sheriff's Department made the papers about the loss of an M4 "Assault Rifle".

This is BS, doesn't the Sheriff Department inventory their equipment before leaving the area of a standoff, why was the officer the only one facing disciplinary action, his immediate supervisor, and shift commander should all be facing disciplinary action. This was a total break down of the command structure.

I could only guess what would happen if a member of the community left an assault weapon on the grass at their home and the news did a story on that.


oracle

[Whiskey Delta]

Amateurs. They have a long way to go to catch up to the FBI or better yet, the ATF. The ATF leads the pack with lost weapons including machine guns..

Dont' forget the hundreds if not thousands lost through national guard units.

All I can say is, the officer should be glad that it was found by an honest citizen.

[MichaelJ]

Did he report it missing within 24 hours of discovering it gone? So much for holding the Police to a standard higher then the normal citizen.

[ihunt49]

Rifle? What rifle?

[imperialism2024]

Jeez, why can't federal agents lose guns in front of my house...?

I mean, of course I'd turn them in *wink wink*. But, you know, it would still be a good story to tell.

[Gary737]

......why was the officer the only one facing disciplinary action, his immediate supervisor, and shift commander should all be facing disciplinary action. This was a total break down of the command structure.....

Your kidding right? How is this a "breakdown of the command structure"?

While I do agree the officer did make an error and should be held accountable, but blaming anyone other than this officer is a mistake. A lot of SWAT team members carry their gear in their own vehicles and meet at the scene.

[Robert Kayland]

Sorry, boys... but if I sweep it, I keep it!

[CommonHighrise]

Give the LEOs a call back later that day, letting them know someone left a fully stripped AR lower in my front yard...then make a call to get me one of them PAFOA lowers and slap all the goodies on it I just 'bought at a yard sale'...in my own yard...sold to me by my lawn gnome.

[MOUNTAINORACLE]

Your kidding right? How is this a "breakdown of the command structure"?

While I do agree the officer did make an error and should be held accountable, but blaming anyone other than this officer is a mistake. A lot of SWAT team members carry their gear in their own vehicles and meet at the scene.

I have been told/trained that the shift commander has the overall responsibility for Every thing that happens on his/her watch.
I have been told/trained the incident commander has the overall responsibility for everything that happens at the site of the incident.
The leaving of equipment at an incident site shows a lack of training, absence of accountability, and problems with the SOP of this Sheriff's Department


oracle

[Robert Kayland]

Give the LEOs a call back later that day, letting them know someone left a fully stripped AR lower in my front yard...then make a call to get me one of them PAFOA lowers and slap all the goodies on it I just 'bought at a yard sale'...in my own yard...sold to me by my lawn gnome.

Approves!