Demoted? Reprimanded? A slap on the wrist for "forgetting" a LOADED firearm IN A PUBLIC PLACE!? I'm sorry but I must ask all those supporting her NOT being sacked,... "What planet are you living on?" And before you all start screaming blue murder, YES, I have a military background, Yes, I know all to well that you NEVER and under NO circumstances leave your weapon unattended. A sidearm is not a cellphone that you can just leave lying around. - "Um, boss,... I seem to have misplaced my gun,... heard of any shootings the past hour or so?" - "Actually yes, a toddler found a 9mm in a Starbucks Toilet and blew her face clean off, but don't worry luv, no one will say it was your fault" The fact that it didn't happen is not the point, not by a long shot.(no pun intended) Lets try this little example, You're second in line at the gas station. your family is in the car. There is a fire engine in front of you. The fireman is pumping gas and trying to light a cigarette at the same time. There is no Hollywood style explosion, no fire. He pumps, smokes, pays and leaves. is this ok with you? I hope not. But leaving a loaded gun in a public toilet by a policewomen is?
What good would sacking her effectively do? As many have pointed out (though from the other side of the argument), this is a fairly huge mistake to make, and certainly not one that anyone takes lightly. If I was another armed officer, I wouldn't look at her being fired and suddenly think "Oh wow I'll take care not to leave my gun in the loos from now on", because it's already a high priority. So, while it is ridiculous that she made such a mistake, her getting the sack won't prevent it happening again in future.
Not much as she would still be getting of lightly. An incident such as this in the armed forces would have landed her in the brigs and then a possible dishonorable discharge(depending on country of service). I couldn't agree with you more. That is exactly what what she should have done, have it as a high priority which she obviously did not. If i read the article correctly , she then continued casually on to order a coffee before she left. True, I would have to agree with you on that too. The fact that it will most probably happen again doesn't justify a lesser punishment though. In my eyes at least.
Kids go missing all the time and get lost, supermarkets, malls etc - Hell I got lost in a jungle once when I was a kid in india because I walked to slow behind my father... It happens... My point is, if no harm has come from it then dont ask for the worst punishment because the worse didnt happen. I have to say, you dont know anything about this woman however - Maybe she was going through a difficult time - Shouldnt we be open to findout more before we make judgments? Have you never gone through a difficult time? maybe her parents died, a family member who knows - My point is we shouldnt just judge straight away. Imagine if it was your sister, your mother or wife - What would that be like for you? wouldnt you want compassion and understanding for them? Or would you tell them you deserve to lose your job for making a mistake? Now we dont know the reasons behind it but my point is basically - before you start screaming "hang her hang her" maybe we should try and imagine the reasons behind that happening? Perhaps she is a complete moron but no one was killed, she needs a bloody good telling off and that will do
If someone I knew was going through a difficult time, I'd give them a handgun. But anyway, IMO this is not forgetfulness it's neglect and should be treated as such. I don't necessarily think she should lose her job but I also don't want her to be entrusted with a handgun again; Britain's police have a very poor firearms record but they'd still have you believe they're the only people capable of safely handling them.
In any other circumstance I would most probably agree with you. We should all be a little more open minded in general but what I'm getting at is, what ever problems this person may have, her training alone should have dictated that she stand down from her position. Not just anyone can become a bodyguard, and for a PM none the less, and there is a very good reason for that. There are certain professions that demand that one has his/her mind 110% on the job at ALL times, this is one of them. If it was a family problem or any other problem for that matter, there would have been no shame in asking to be temporarily relieved of active duty. In fact, it would have been seen as the responsible thing to do as she would be putting her subject's safety first. The key words being "safety first". In this case, not only the PM's but the general public too! Carrying a firearm demands great responsibility and respect for others safety. --edit-- The worst punishment would be to have her charged with criminal negligence. So in my view, loosing her job is "getting off lightly".
