This is not a question a court security officer should be asking. But hey, what are you supposed to do with that thing when you go to the restroom? Clearly, not this. As reported by The New Hampshire Union Leader:
According to New Hampshire State Police, officers from Troop D responded to Concord District Court at 1:30 p.m. Friday to investigate a report that a court security officer had a sidearm that was unaccounted for.
Uh-oh.
Court Security Officer Julie Bickford reported that her sidearm was missing from her holster, and that she believed that she might have misplaced the gun while using a bathroom.
Not to cast aspersions, but really? You just up and lost your gun? While on duty?
The courthouse was searched by troopers, a K-9 team, and court security personnel, but the weapon was not located.
Let’s go to the videotape …
State police reviewed Concord District Court security tapes and identified a female, Courtney Rojek, 24, of Pittsfield, seen exiting the women’s bathroom with a handgun in her hand within minutes of Bickford exiting the women’s bathroom.
Police said Rojek was seen placing the semi-automatic handgun on a table in the vestibule just outside the bathroom, and motioning a male subject over to her, identified by police as Jacob Noury, 33, of Barnstead.
On video, state police say Noury was seen handling the handgun and then placing it in Rojek’s waistband. Rojek and Noury are then seen exiting the court and leaving in a vehicle.
Did it really not occur to them that there are cameras in the courthouse?
Arrest warrants were initiated for Rojek and Noury for Class A felony charges of theft of lost or mislaid property and Class b felony charges for possession of a firearm in a district or superior court facility.
State police, along with Chichester police, located both Rojek and Noury at a tattoo parlor owned by Noury on Route 4 in Chichester Saturday evening. Both were taken into custody without incident.
A search warrant was requested and granted for Noury’s residence in Barnstead. A search was conducted and the missing sidearm, a Glock 40mm semi-automatic pistol, was located inside the residence, according to police.
Noury and Rojek were held on $10,000 cash bail at the Merrimack County Jail. They are due to be arraigned Monday, in Concord District Court.
It’s not known whether Officer Bickford was disciplined, though it’s hard to imagine the consequences of losing your gun, while on duty in the courthouse, would not be severe. Here’s the source.