Off-Duty Cop May Face Discipline After Thief Steals Gun From Her Purse

By Joanna Rothkopf  |  July 16, 2015 | 8:00pm
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If you are a police officer, one of your primary responsibilities (other than protecting the peace, blah blah) is ensuring that your gun doesn’t get stolen. That said, and I don’t know anything about police work but I do know something about purses, maybe don’t keep your gun somewhere so snatchable?

The officer, identified by the New York Post as 41-year-old Nilda Quezada, was accosted by Samuel Thornton, 21, who stole Quezada’s necklace, punched her in the face after a brief struggle, and escaped with her gun. The thing is that her gun never should have been in her purse to begin with.

The Patrol Guide, the NYPD’s policy manual spells out the policy, which the New York Times excerpted:

“Do not carry firearms in briefcases, handbags, fanny packs, hip packs, tote bags, knapsacks, paper bags or similar devices,” the guide reads, impressing everyone with its knowledge of different kinds of bags. “Carry firearms, on the person, in an appropriate holster specifically designed to afford maximum protection against loss of weapon.”

The “obvious neglect of care of firearm” is something technically punishable by the cop’s commanding officer.

“If an officer is getting ready to go to work and is carrying the weapon in a bag, to me, that’s not an indictable offense,” said Robert J. Louden, a retired detective lieutenant in an interview with the Times. “This is a pretty awesome power and authority that police are given, and they have a responsibility that goes with it.”

Again, if you have a gun for any reason, how about a funky holster?

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Image via Shutterstock

 
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