Here’s the $64,000 question: how busy are St. Louis County policer officers? Very, it seems. In fact, when you’re a gainfully employed St. Louis County Police officer, there’s just not enough time to get around to all the things that need doing. It’s the little things that seem to slip by. Picking up the dry cleaning. Cutting the grass. Cleaning your service gun. One unidentified County cop decided a local high school would be a good place to finally rub down his heater…
A County officer who’d been assigned to a local high school as a “school resource officer” decided he could best be a resource to the public education system by making sure his gun was shiny and clean.
Only one problem. The mystery officer evidently has never been schooled in safe gun handling practices. Predictable zaniness ensued when the gun “accidently discharged” (shazam!) sending hot lead through the wall into the nurse’s office next door.
With two students, the nurse and another adult in the adjoining office, it was a minor miracle no one was hit. There’s apparently no truth to the rumor that the urine sample collection process was much easier after the incident.
“We’re very, very grateful that no one was injured,” said St. Louis County police Officer Rick Eckhard. I bet they are. The officer wasn’t put on leave because it was only an accidental discharge and no one was hurt. That’s comforting.
Predictably, the internal affairs investigation will center around the officer’s decision to clean his gun while on duty. In a school.
I also suggest investigating why the unnamed cop seems to think clearing his weapon involves putting his finger on the bangswitch. A remedial course in the four rules and the proper way to rack a slide to clear a pistol would appear to be in order. Permanent firearms confiscation and job relocation/termination should be an option.
Eckhard wouldn’t say how close the bullet came to striking anyone in the room. Such details are part of the investigation, he said. Uh huh. “We’re doing everything we can to hopefully appease some of the parents (so they) realize that the safety of their children is our ultimate goal here,” he said.
I don’t know about you, but I feel much better. Meanwhile, St. Louis County voters should see if they can get a little less bang for their bucks.