School's armed guard accidentally leaves handgun in the bathroom

[brynne]

School's armed guard accidentally leaves handgun in the bathroom

 

 

 

A security guard at a charter school in Lapeer, Mich., caused a "breach in security protocol" when he accidentally left an unloaded weapon in the school's restroom. No children were put in danger and no one was injured according to Chatfield School director Matt Young. The school is not releasing the name of the security officer, who used to work in the Lapeer County Sheriff's Office, and as no one was injured, no charges will be filed as no criminal act was committed. Despite the slip-up, Young called the addition of armed guards at the school "a tremendous asset to the safety of our students."

 

 

The Chatfield School in Lapeer.

 

Lapeer, MI -- A security officer at a Lapeer charter school left a firearm unattended in a school bathroom on Monday, Jan. 14, a school official said.

 

The security officer "made a breach in security protocol" and left an unloaded weapon in a restroom "for a few moments," said Chatfield School Director Matt Young.

Young said the school has been in contact with local authorities about the matter and wouldn't discuss any possible repercussion for the officer, calling it "a personnel matter." Young also declined to name the security officer.

"The school has put additional security procedures in place that follow local law enforcement practices and guidelines," Young said in a statement. "At no time was any student involved in this breach of protocol. We will continue to work on improving school security."

 

 

Young stressed that no children were exposed to the handgun or put in danger, and declined to comment more on specifics of the incident.

The school recently hired the officer, who is retired from the Lapeer County Sheriff's Office, as a means to bolster school security. The effort had recently received attention in Lapeer and Genesee county media outlets.

Chatfield is a charter school that serves grades K-8 and has been open since 1997, according to the school's website.

Lapeer resident Tris Fritz, who has children in third and fifth grade at the school, called the incident a big mistake. "I think that some kid might not think it's a real gun. They might think it's a toy. They're going to be curious, that's the nature of a child."

"I know people are human and they make mistakes," Fritz added. "That's kind of a big mistake."

Parent Cindy Fliedner, who has two children in third grade at Chatfield, said the incident has not changed her view that bringing in the officer was a great idea.

"We're just going to have to refine our procedures," Fliedner said. "I'm thrilled that the board at Chatfield was proactive to take the steps to protect our children."

"I'm so thankful they're not just sticking their heads in the sand," she added.

Lapeer County Prosecutor Byron Konschuh said since nobody was harmed, the incident likely would not constitute a criminal charge.

"If you left a gun unattended and a toddler finds it and shoots and hurts someone, it could be some kind of reckless use of a firearm," Konschuh said.

Since that did not happen, it's likely no criminal act was committed, Konschuh added.

"It's almost like no harm no foul."

[Sparhawk]

Ahahahahahahaha..... eat that NRA.

[Jefke]

Yeah, armed school guards are the solution

 

 

[SinfulRaevyn]

 

 

Brilliant!

[Antichrist]

Ahahahahahahaha..... eat that NRA.

 

Your comment isn't even relevant. This guards actions have NOTHING to do with the NRA.

[SinfulRaevyn]

Your comment isn't even relevant. This guards actions have NOTHING to do with the NRA.

 

Actually it does! The NRA had been pressing for armed guards in schools. You get armed guards.. and already, this happens.

 

I am now sad.

[ApfelGanja]

And this is why there shouldn't be armed guards or armed teachers in the US. I bet Piers Morgan will rant over this soon.

What if a child found the gun? What if the gun was loaded?

Edited January 19, 2013 by ApfelGanja

[Dddrgn]

I mean hey, it was an accident right? He shouldn't have messed up that bad considering he was being payed, but everyone makes mistakes - it's part of what makes us human.

[Antichrist]

Mistakes happen. With no guns, then next someone cries that some irresponsible worker left their cutter on a box while stocking shelves at a store and a child took it.

 

We have to stop blaming guns and REALIZE THAT IT'S THE PARENTS JOB TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN, and TEACH VALUES, and MORALS.

 

With these arguments, screw it all, lets lock ourselves in padded rooms. There has to be a change AT HOME.

 

The NRA may have been an advocate for armed guards in schools, great.

 

The NRA didn't choose this particular guard. Not every gun owner is irresponsible.

 

People always miss the point, and blame the gun. It's the owners actions, not the firearm. Try lobbying to remove firearms from criminals first. Try offering incentives to gun owners to purchase safes and locking gun cabinets. Try offering incentives to take safe firearm handling courses.

 

But no, lets just be ignorant and blame the guns.

 

OMG IT HAS A PISTOL GRIP! ITS AN ASSAULT RIFLE! !ban

 

News flash. There's no such thing as an assault rifle. You guys have to refocus your arguments to correct the problem.

[Shinobi]

Just wonderful security!

[Jefke]

Mistakes happen. With no guns, then next someone cries that some irresponsible worker left their cutter on a box while stocking shelves at a store and a child took it.

 

We have to stop blaming guns and REALIZE THAT IT'S THE PARENTS JOB TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN, and TEACH VALUES, and MORALS.

 

With these arguments, screw it all, lets lock ourselves in padded rooms. There has to be a change AT HOME.

 

The NRA may have been an advocate for armed guards in schools, great.

 

The NRA didn't choose this particular guard. Not every gun owner is irresponsible.

 

People always miss the point, and blame the gun. It's the owners actions, not the firearm. Try lobbying to remove firearms from criminals first. Try offering incentives to gun owners to purchase safes and locking gun cabinets. Try offering incentives to take safe firearm handling courses.

 

But no, lets just be ignorant and blame the guns.

 

OMG IT HAS A PISTOL GRIP! ITS AN ASSAULT RIFLE! !ban

 

News flash. There's no such thing as an assault rifle. You guys have to refocus your arguments to correct the problem.

 

What the balls has parents responsibility for education to do with the stupid idea of ARMED guards on a school...

 

I never will understand the American way of thinking about guns. I realized that long time ago and I won't even bother to get it.

But to me it sounds like a retarded idea to have armed guards on a school...

 

Problem with gunviolence on schools? Solution: MORE GUNS...

Yeah, that sounds right...

 

 

note to self: stop responding to these topics, you won't ever get the point of view of them and they will never get your point of view.

[Antichrist]

What the balls has parents responsibility for education to do with the stupid idea of ARMED guards on a school...

 

I never will understand the American way of thinking about guns. I realized that long time ago and I won't even bother to get it.

But to me it sounds like a retarded idea to have armed guards on a school...

 

Problem with gunviolence on schools? Solution: MORE GUNS...

Yeah, that sounds right...

 

 

note to self: stop responding to these topics, you won't ever get the point of view of them and they will never get your point of view.

 

We don't have to agree, that's fine....

 

 

But their idea: BAD GUYS have guns and shoot schools. No good guys with guns = massacre.

 

Armed guards are 1. A deterrant to criminals. 2. Extra protection in the case something does happen.

 

Keep in mind I'm not arguing with you at all, I'm just trying to show you what the problem is and why they chose to do that.

I DO NOT agree with the guards mistake, and personally, I think he should have some sort of punishment. Mistakes happen, but this could have been a costly mistake.

 

But the bottom line, criminals have guns. Bad guys have guns. It only makes sense to defend ourselves against them by adding armed guards.

[SinfulRaevyn]

Decided to just remove my opinion.

 

Rather not start a war over something silly. ^.^

 

I will say- things have reached a sad state.

Edited January 20, 2013 by ♥ SiN ♥

[ApfelGanja]

I'm generally not a supporter of the second amendment so I will blame guns where I think they are to blame. I have outlined in a previous topic 1-2 months ago, that the US has 0.88 guns per person. The second closest is Guatemala with 0.54 per person. The US has the 27th highest gun crime rate in the world. That's somewhere in the top 15%, but if you look at most of the other top 26, they are LEDC's where crime and poverty is rife (such as Saint Kitts & Nevis, Jamaica, etc).

I could also pull the more conspiratorial card and say it's all part of the military industrial complex on which the US economy runs. If there are 310mil US citizens and 0.88 guns per person that makes, say 275mil guns. If I had to take an average for the price of a gun (correct me if I'm wrong, I'm no expert in gun prices) say $500? So not counting ammo and training to get a license, and all that crap. All that stuff costs $130-140 billion dollars. So maybe it's just that Martin Lockheed, Colt and all the other defense contractors and small-arms manufacturers are getting Americans to think they need guns, and that with guns comes security just to make a big load of money. That's just an opinion.

Let's take it up a notch and say the Federal Reserve controls all the money in the US and plunging it into more and more debt while making more and more money for itself (partly using the mil.ind. complex) and it's buddies like JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, the IMF, the World Bank and other such monetary institutions.

Edited January 20, 2013 by ApfelGanja

[Krayzie]

I agree with Anti here. In no way did the NRA choose the man, or tell him to leave his gun there. It should of been holstered on his hip or somewhere similar at all times. He is a moron for even setting it down.

 

I disagree that it is Lockheed or anybody telling me I need a gun. It's ME telling me I need a gun. It's ME telling me I need to pull the trigger in a situation. It's ME making the GUN do something, not the GUN making ME do something. That's like saying your keyboard told you to press the keys on it... Idiotic. I own a gun for two reasons, 1: Recreational use, to go blow up some targets on any given day of the week, and 2: For self protection of both my family, and I. Some dumbass feels the need to try and come into my house to take something, he is going to feel a couple bullets in him.