Tempe police are asking for the public's assistance in locating an AR-15 rifle that was stolen from the personal car of a SWAT officer early New Year's Day, and have launched an administrative review into the officer for any potential weapons policy violations.
The officer's car was parked in a lot on Arizona State University's campus and burglarized between 4:45 a.m. and 6:20 a.m. on Sunday, according to information from Tempe police. The officer had just ended his shift and was exercising at ASU during that time and had secured the firearm in his vehicle, according to police.
The department's policy states that it's a violation of procedure for an officer to fail to "properly care for assigned equipment, which results in damage or loss due to neglect or carelessness."
The officer has not been placed on paid administrative leave and police are not commenting as to why the officer had the rifle in his vehicle.
By comparison, federal officers are required to keep issued weapons locked and incapable of firing when the officer is not carrying them.
An AR-15 rifle is a civilian version of the military’s M-16. Most AR-15 rifles are semi-automatic and fire just one round at a time when the trigger is pulled, according to Scott Wesch, owner of the Mesa Gun Shop.
Under most normal conditions, the government restricts ownership of full-automatic weapons, however, some police departments do own full automatic weapons, according to Wesch.
The rifle is black and weighs between six to 8.5 pounds.
Anyone with information about this incident can call the Tempe Police Department at (480) 350-8311 or Silent Witness at (480) 948-6377.
• Contact writer: (480) 898-6533 or msakal@evtrib.com
Juggernaut8000 posted at 3:33 pm on Tue, Jan 3, 2012.
If the car was locked the only person to blame is the slime who stole the rifle. The guy went to exercise and his car was burglarized. The thief probably didn't even know it was a cop's car. The news is so quick to blame a cop for anything...pathetic.
az2008 posted at 4:36 pm on Tue, Jan 3, 2012.
It's not clear if this article can even be trusted. It says the AR-15 is a military version of the M-16. That is incorrect. It is a civilian version of the military M-16.
So, I'm left wondering whether it was an M-16. If so, I'd say the officer had a responsibility to protect it more than merely locking it in his car. (I'd also wonder why an officer is taking a Class-III weapon off duty.).
Slabside posted at 4:37 pm on Tue, Jan 3, 2012.
I agree Juggernaut.
Rich posted at 6:48 pm on Tue, Jan 3, 2012.
Sorry, I'd have made a comment earlier but I was laughing so hard I kicked out the plug to my internet connection. Highest crime rate? Wow! Wonder why?????
samkat posted at 6:55 pm on Tue, Jan 3, 2012.
AZ: The article states that the AR-15 is a civilian version of the military M-16, which is correct. I own an AR-15 and it is not capable full auto fire without extensive modification. The ATF takes a dim view of modification, which would require a federal firearm license and a class II license.
hadenough posted at 7:09 pm on Tue, Jan 3, 2012.
It might be a machine gun? The fact that Tempe police won't say whether the rifle is semi-auto or full auto makes me think they lost a machine gun and don't want to admit it. Throw the thief in jail for 20 years. But get the gun off the street and out of the hands of a felon. We don't need another murdered police officer like Border Patrolman Brian Terry who was murdered thanks to government stupidity.
New Times has more information.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2012/01/if_you_stole_a_tempe_cops_swat.php
tededitedit posted at 8:10 pm on Wed, Jan 4, 2012.
Secured? Was it in the interior of the car exposed or in a gun case in plain sight? If that is considered "secured" then the policies and procedures of the Tempe Police need to be updated. If I have my acoustic guitar with me when I go work out I lock it in my trunk.