The Capitol Police have allegedly suspended a sergeant for leaking information about guns left behind in bathrooms in the Capitol, Roll Call reported on Tuesday.
The sergeant has not been back at work since two officers were called to speak with investigators at the Office of Professional Responsibility in June. Investigators were looking into separate incidents in which officers left their weapons behind in bathrooms and other public spaces, which Roll Call reported on in May. Capitol Police were also investigating who leaked a photo of a Glock left behind by an officer in a Capitol Visitor Center bathroom.
According to Roll Call, officers in the security details for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) left their guns in bathrooms in January and May, respectively. A third gun was found left behind in the Capitol Police headquarters in April.
It’s not clear whether any of the officers who left their weapons have been reprimanded, according to Roll Call.
Capitol Police Chief Kim C. Dine told the House Administration Committee in May that the officers had not yet been removed from the security details for McConnell and Boehner, according to Roll Call. Dine also said at the time that the investigation into the officer protecting McConnell was not yet complete.
So the message is you can leave your gun anywhere without repercussions, but don’t tell anyone about it because that’s where the hurt comes down…
Well, it’s been a while since TPM posted a careless firearm handling. Usually, I call it careless firearm accidents but this was a bit different since it was just the leaking of information of folks on Capitol Hill being careless since no one or thing got shot.
I like how we’re not supposed to KNOW when folks are careless with their guns.
By the way, in terms of gun carelessness on TPM and Raw Story for 2015, so far we have a four-way tie for first place between Kentucky, Texas, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.