(KCPW News) A Salt Lake City Police officer’s missing gun has been found. After a training exercise yesterday, an officer left the gun on the trunk of his car before driving off. An extensive search of the area where the officer was parked was unsuccessful. However, Chief Chris Burbank says there is a good explanation for that.
“As the officer pulled out, apparently an individual was driving right behind him, noticed it, stopped, picked it up with the intention of giving it back to the officer at that moment. The officer had gone. [The man] was taking his wife, as I understand, to a doctor appointment. Put it in his car and just returned it to us later that evening,” said Burbank.
Burbank says an internal affairs investigation of the incident will take place, and the officer will undoubtedly face disciplinary action. However, he says the officer made a simple mistake.
“The thing about this though, is this is a good officer that had no intention of doing something wrong. But, we need to safeguard, firearms especially, but all of our equipment and so it’s something that we need to review and take some action to ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” said Burbank.
The department was offering a $200 reward for the return of the pistol. Burbank doesn’t know if the reward has been accepted, but says it will certainly be offered to the man who returned the gun.
How do you feel about this topic?
Is there anything else you think we should know? We'd like to hear your thoughts. Send us your feedback using the form below.
