Knimrod
03-09-2006, 12:19 AM
Officers' joke turns painful
March 07, 2006
CHAD LIVENGOOD
THE SAGINAW NEWS
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Officer David VanDyke likely will never again hand a fellow policeman his revolver and utter the words "shoot me."
Superiors disciplined VanDyke and Officer Ronald Langworthy after an investigation of a Feb. 21 incident in which VanDyke "jokingly" handed Langworthy his gun and asked him to pull the trigger.
Thinking the gun wasn't loaded, Langworthy shot VanDyke in the foot.
Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick decided not to file criminal charges after state police concurred with an internal probe.
"The filing of any criminal charges would be inappropriate and unsustainable," Burdick said. "VanDyke blamed the incident on himself."
VanDyke remains on light duty as he recovers.
Both officers, who have a combined 29 years of service, apparently forgot "some of the rules to gun safety, such as, never give someone a loaded gun, and always assume a gun is loaded," Burdick said.
When Langworthy discharged the gun, he believed it would shoot "blank" or "simunition," officials said.
"I did issue disciplinary action to both of the officers," said Police Chief Bill Yeagley. "Both officers are extremely remorseful for the accident."
Yeagley declined to specify the punishment.
The incident took place in the department's squad room.
Link to story (http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1141741300159300.xml?sanews?NESP&coll=9)
March 07, 2006
CHAD LIVENGOOD
THE SAGINAW NEWS
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Officer David VanDyke likely will never again hand a fellow policeman his revolver and utter the words "shoot me."
Superiors disciplined VanDyke and Officer Ronald Langworthy after an investigation of a Feb. 21 incident in which VanDyke "jokingly" handed Langworthy his gun and asked him to pull the trigger.
Thinking the gun wasn't loaded, Langworthy shot VanDyke in the foot.
Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick decided not to file criminal charges after state police concurred with an internal probe.
"The filing of any criminal charges would be inappropriate and unsustainable," Burdick said. "VanDyke blamed the incident on himself."
VanDyke remains on light duty as he recovers.
Both officers, who have a combined 29 years of service, apparently forgot "some of the rules to gun safety, such as, never give someone a loaded gun, and always assume a gun is loaded," Burdick said.
When Langworthy discharged the gun, he believed it would shoot "blank" or "simunition," officials said.
"I did issue disciplinary action to both of the officers," said Police Chief Bill Yeagley. "Both officers are extremely remorseful for the accident."
Yeagley declined to specify the punishment.
The incident took place in the department's squad room.
Link to story (http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1141741300159300.xml?sanews?NESP&coll=9)