Mainers are safe with Police Chiefs like this one...

[novalty]

Heard this story on the radio yesterday morning. Media really tried to turn it into being the "guns" fault. Not a negligent Police Chief.
http://bangordailynews.com/2013/06/25/news/bangor/bangor-police-chief-accidentally-shoots-self-with-new-duty-weapon/ (http://bangordailynews.com/2013/06/25/news/bangor/bangor-police-chief-accidentally-shoots-self-with-new-duty-weapon/)

Glad to hear they have assigned a Lt. to investigate. :groner:

Some given reasons for shooting self in hand.

“There are different mechanisms in this gun that is for sure,” Edwards said.

“We essentially replaced the department’s firearms,” he said. “We had Sig Sauer .45-caliber semiautomatic [handguns] and moved to Glocks.”

Apparently clearing a gun before cleaning is different between Sigs and Glocks.

Paper was nice enough to provide a related "cover up" story of another officer's accidental discharge...


A Maine State Police lieutenant accidentally discharged his weapon in February at a staff meeting, when he shifted in his seat and his holstered weapon went off. An investigation concluded in May by a division of the Maine State Police was unable to determine why his firearm accidentally discharged during the computer training session.

[oneokie]

I have heard of many instances of posterior dialing a cell phone, but a firearm?

[runfiverun]

nope it's the glocks fault....or maybe it was built by a Taliban member and remotely detonated.
i'm gonna go with someone had their finger on the trigger though.

[captaint]

Yes, lets clean a loaded pistol. Wonder what was wrong with the Sigs ?? I doubt they wore them out !! At least they got .45's though. Mike

[Bad Water Bill]

Just returned from their first range and safety training session.

To bad he slept thru every safe handling class he EVER attended.

[DeanWinchester]

I've never understood any of this mess. No one takes responsibility for their actions anymore.
Idiots.

[novalty]

Wonder if they will give him a 9 now since he shot his pinky?[smilie=1:

[Bad Water Bill]

How could he shoot his pinkie with a 45ACP and still have the finger?

Or did the slide catch the pinkie but medical would not pay for ignorant handling so say A bullet did this and medical will now pay for the band aid.

[KCSO]

On the Glocks you have to pull the trigger to disassemble the gun and we have to DRILL it into them, drop the mag and check the chamber. Some just drop the mag and then squeeze off the trigger and BANG ! A moments innattention and the poor schmuck is now branded for life. IMHO this is what he got for not PAYING ATTENTION and it will cost him big time.

[DCP]

On the Glocks you have to pull the trigger to disassemble the gun and we have to DRILL it into them, drop the mag and check the chamber. Some just drop the mag and then squeeze off the trigger and BANG ! A moments innattention and the poor schmuck is now branded for life. IMHO this is what he got for not PAYING ATTENTION and it will cost him big time.

Ain't that truth.

He not the 1st to do this with a Glock.
Lots of PD ranges have clearing traps just for this reason

[novalty]

Well in the other story with they reference (http://bangordailynews.com/2013/02/27/news/maine-state-troopers-handgun-discharges-during-staff-meeting-wednesday/?ref=inline) to the lieutenant's firearm discharging in his holster, they state the firearm was a H&K 45--which I find extremely hard to believe went off on it's own.


McCausland confirmed that the gun was an H&K .45-caliber handgun. When asked if the safety was on, he said he didn’t have any further details about specifics other than the holster was securely attached to the lieutenant’s lap.

My guess is he reached for the holster to shift in his seat, and put his finger on the trigger.

[popper]

I think you all got it right. These are the people sworn to protect us. Biggest problem in the DFW area is LEO DUI. Here is another.
http://mobile.wnd.com/2013/06/gun-owner-targeted-with-no-knock-raid/

[novalty]

I don't want to bash Officer's, just can't believe how when the story involves an Officer's accidental discharge--the first thought is that it is the firearms fault. As it only harms the misconception that many have about firearms.

[Duckiller]

I believe these weapons are on the Calif. DOJ list of firearms approved for sale in Cal. That means the only way to make them go bang is someone or something has to pull the trigger. Glock spent a lot of money convincing our DOJ that this is so. Maybe LEOs should have lesser capacity magazines than the average citizens.

[TCLouis]

Don't see any accidental discharge here.

Negligent discharge I see.

Pitiful handling of a firearm in a room full (sounds like they were all in one place cleaning)

Maybe he was made chief to keep him off of the street and give the other officers the feeling of a safety margin.

[Nickle]

Not an ND, nor an AD. I do believe it had to be an ID. Idiot discharge, because just how in blazes do you "accidentally" discharge a Glock. I've got 2 of them, a Model 19 (9mm) and a Model 22 (40 S&W). Previous owners were both women (family members, since deceased) that were very knowledgeable with firearms, and they'd both agree with me.

[DCP]

Not an ND, nor an AD. I do believe it had to be an ID. Idiot discharge, because just how in blazes do you "accidentally" discharge a Glock. I've got 2 of them, a Model 19 (9mm) and a Model 22 (40 S&W). Previous owners were both women (family members, since deceased) that were very knowledgeable with firearms, and they'd both agree with me.

He didn't check the chamber.

I have seen it happen

Some Departments wont buy Glocks for this reason
Glocks Gen 4 I think may have changed this

He not the 1st to do this with a Glock.
Lots of PD ranges have clearing traps just for this reason.

You can call him anything you want
But it can and has happen. AND it will happen again.

[popper]

I agree with ID. Last time I was at the pistol range, RO had a 'chat' during CF. Of 9 at the line, he saw 4 not cleared & locked back, 1 not pointed down range. Fortunately none had a round chambered. People handle guns like they drive cars, don't pay attention.

[gray wolf]

Seems in the past 3 or 4 years I have seen firearm carelessness reaching epic proportions.

[searcher4851]

Gray Wolf-
I wonder if there's a direct connection between the increase of carelessness and the increase in new gun ownership over the same time period.

[Hamish]

"Ppears to be sumthin' goin' on up Nawth, mmm-hmmm.

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Backyard-building-explodes-killing-Maine-man.html

NEW LIMERICK — The Maine Fire Marshal's Office says it's unlikely that the cause of an explosion and fire that killed a New Limerick man will be determined.

Seventy-nine-year-old Budsen Anderson died Wednesday afternoon when the storage building he was in blew up in his backyard.

Authorities say Anderson was working on lawn equipment just before the explosion, which leveled the building.

[firefly1957]

This county will not use Glocks as one of their officers lost the lower part of a leg while holstering a Glock. I have heard three versions of the story of how it happened have no idea of why!

[FISH4BUGS]

On the Glocks you have to pull the trigger to disassemble the gun and we have to DRILL it into them, drop the mag and check the chamber. Some just drop the mag and then squeeze off the trigger and BANG ! A moments innattention and the poor schmuck is now branded for life. IMHO this is what he got for not PAYING ATTENTION and it will cost him big time.
I did exactly that with a Ruger RST4 22 pistol many years ago (like maybe 40 years ago). No magazine cutoff safety and I dropped an empty mag. Unloaded gun right? Yup. Started reloading the clip with the gun resting in my left hand on my hip. I had my right leg bent and resting on a rock.
BANG! Bullet went in high inside right thigh, bounced off my femur, out THE backside behind my right knee, then back in mid calf. I get to carry this bullet around forever! Docs said they could just leave it....no harm.
I can't blame the Chief. A moment's inattention can get you hurt....or worse.
That's why I hate going to a public range or an indoor range. Too many careless people. I'll only be responsible for myself.
I was lucky. Maybe not so lucky if it ever happened again.
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE PEOPLE!