MPD Telling it Like it is “I will gladly leave those cases to TV and Hollywood”

Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

Earlier in the week MPD posted “Weapon Recovery in the 600 Block of Girard Street, NE” to the MPD-5D listserv:

“Day Watch Patrol Service Area (PSA)502 Units led by Sergeant Steinhilber responded back to this area for a complete canvass once day light broke and recovered a black 9MM HELWAN semi automatic handgun, from the front of an address in the 600 Block of Girard Street, NE, behind a cable box. The weapon was loaded with one round in the chamber and one round in the magazine. The hammer on the weapon was cocked!”

A member responded:

“Were any prints able to be lifted from the handgun? Did the fact that you are not equipped with enough manpower to police all 911 calls, prevent you from sitting on this firearm for a period of time to see if someone might come to get it?”

MPD responded this morning:

“The weapon is being processed at our state of the art Forensics Lab that performs a number of tests on firearms, magazines and ammo. We are staffed to manage calls for service and other self initiated assignments that come forth each tour and most importantly we are in the risk management business. That risk involves decision making concerning weapons. I would rather work the recovery with forensic analysis and good old fashion police work than risk the loss of a crime gun back into our community. I have made more death notifications to loved ones in 31 years than I care to think about. I cannot imagine the anguish a parent, wife/husband, brother/sister, extended family, friends, relatives and associates would feel hearing a family member was killed with a gun we were capable and able to recover immediately but chose to sit on in an attempt to make an arrest that may or may not be prosecuted. I will gladly leave those cases to TV and Hollywood.”