PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) - The Prescott Valley town manager has decided to suspend the police chief for two days without pay after he lost his handgun last month.
Town manager Larry Tarkowski on Wednesday issued the punishment that also requires Chief Bryan Jarrell to complete a certified firearm safety course and pay the cost to replace the handgun, The Daily Courier reported .
“I have assessed the relevant factors and concluded this careless off-duty conduct has caused discredit to the town,” Tarkowski said in a letter to Jarrell.
Jarrell said he lost his gun on Nov. 9 and didn’t realize it was missing until four days later. The police chief had attended a town council meeting at the Prescott Valley Public Library and accidentally left the handgun in a restroom stall while he was changing clothes, he said.
The police department then offered a $500 reward for the return of the department-issued black, Glock 19 9 mm with the serial number YHC 944.
Though no specific protocols were broken, Tarkowski said the mistake reflected poorly on the town and on Jarrell’s model for conduct as an officer.
“Unfortunately, this incident made national news and resulted in considerable negative public comment about you, the department and departmental procedures,” Tarkowski said in the letter.
Jarrell said he met with Tarkowski and both agreed that this punishment was needed. But the punishment doesn’t compare with his own feelings on the loss, he said.
“It pales in comparison to how much I beat myself up on this every single day,” Jarrell said.
Anyone with information about the missing handgun can contact Yavapai Silent Witness at 1-800-932-3232, according to the department.
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Information from: The Daily Courier, http://www.dcourier.com
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