Reply #27: And another. Seems like a training issue as well

[tburnsten]

(TX) Austin police reviewing holsters after gun found in park

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Austin police reviewing holsters after gun found in park
Officers who work with dogs ordered to stop using holsters.
By Tony Plohetski

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Thursday, July 10, 2008

Austin police are reviewing the type of holsters dozens of officers carry and have already suspended their use in the department's canine unit after officials said an officer's gun slipped out and was later found in a Southwest Austin park teeming with children.

Assistant Police Chief Al Eells said Wednesday that a preliminary investigation shows that officer Daniel Eveleth, who was sitting on a playground slide, lost his loaded gun when a police dog lurched toward him at Circle C Ranch Metropolitan Park on Slaughter Creek early Monday.

Eells and other department officials said Eveleth was wearing a special holster in which a gun rests between an officer's knee and hip and that the dog's paw might have knocked a leather strap covering the weapon out of place.

"Certainly we believe there may be an equipment issue here," Eells said.

Eells said the investigation will include why Eveleth did not know for several hours that his gun was missing. A group of mothers and about a dozen children found the weapon on the slide about 8:45 a.m. and called police, who returned it to Eveleth at his home.

Assistant Police Chief Sam Holt, who is in charge of the department this week while Chief Art Acevedo is attending a conference, also said Wednesday that officials are reviewing why top department leaders weren't told about what happened until a day later, when the Austin American-Statesman began inquiring about the incident.

It is the second time in recent weeks that top city officials weren't immediately notified of a high-profile incident. City Manager Marc Ott has said he didn't learn about last month's fire at the Texas Governor's Mansion until the next day. About 100 Austin firefighters battled the blaze, which nearly destroyed the empty building.

Eells said Eveleth was nearing the end of his eight-hour shift about 5:15 a.m. Monday when he took the dog to the park. He said the dog had been patrolling with the officer in his car and that Eveleth wanted to give it time to exercise.

He said that after several minutes, Eveleth loaded the dog into the car, went home and immediately fell asleep.

Eells said officers who responded to a 911 call from the park thought the gun looked similar to the type of weapon officers carry and asked department officials to check its serial number against those in a database.

He said Eveleth was "quite frankly shocked" when they returned his gun.

"He's very upset about it," Eells said. "He has expressed that. This is the type of situation that strikes fear in every officer's heart."

Officials said they were trying to determine Wednesday how many officers wear the "tactical thigh holsters" and will review whether they are appropriate for their assignments. They said officers in specialized units, including the SWAT team and bomb squad, often wear special bullet-proof vests that make wearing regular holsters that go around the waist uncomfortable.

They said seven officers who are assigned dogs have been ordered to immediately stop wearing the thigh holsters.

During a news conference, Eells, Holt and Assistant City Manager Bert Lumbreras each thanked parents at the park for keeping children away from the gun. They especially expressed gratitude to Danielle Pieranunzi, who called 911.

"She handled the situation very appropriately," Lumbreras said.