Police Chief Points Gun Toward City Councilman
BY Herschel Smith
10 years, 3 months ago
BLAKESBURG, Iowa — A small town police chief is facing big time trouble after pulling his gun out twice at city hall, one time pointing it toward a city councilman.
Security video taken inside Blakesburg City Hall shows Police Chief Bob Lewis pointing a gun toward a city councilman. The video shows another city council member touches the chief’s arm while he is leaning on a window, then he draws his gun and points it towards a city councilman who is behind a thin door.
“Oh yeah, it was stupid,” Blakesburg Mayor Jason Myers says, “Whether or not he knew somebody was on the other side of the door, I mean, I feel that he probably did.”
City Councilman Bill Hinshaw says, “It was done in bad taste. It may have been supposed to be a joke but somebody who is in a position of authority…it’s something that never should have been done.”
The police chief did not respond to our request for a comment, but he tells city council he was just testing out his holster to see how fast he could draw his gun if he had to.
“It just doesn’t seem to me that that’s what he would do,” Hinshaw says, “He could have done it anyplace else but you don’t point it at someone.”
And that’s not all. The security video was taped back in April, but Chief Lewis was just reprimanded about it during this week’s city council meeting. So he drew his loaded weapon again during the crowded meeting to show city council a round was not chambered.
“He took the clip out and laid it on the bench there which I appreciate him doing that but there are some people that are very concerned about that,” Hinshaw says, “Should it have been done? Probably that wasn’t the best thing to do.”
The mayor says Chief Lewis should be punished. He’s just not sure yet how. “I don’t want to ruin a person’s career,” Myers says, “I just don’t know. It’s just so tricky. And I consider Bob a friend but at the same time I gotta look out for the community.”
He was “testing out his holster to see how fast he could draw his gun if he had to.” What he was really doing was ignoring rules for muzzle discipline. And remember kids, only trained law enforcement officials can be trusted to own and carry weapons.
On August 4, 2014 at 1:24 am, Miles said:
He “took the clip out”
Bypassing the “It’s a MAGAZINE lunk head” diatribe, unless the pistol in question had a magazine safety, simply removing the magazine is NOT unloading it as I’d bet there’s one in the chamber.
Yep, only the popo are trained enough to have guns.
If I was a councilman in that city, the chief would’ve been out the door back in April. And the dismissal would have been “for cause” . Hopefully that would’ve put a skidding halt to idjit’s law enforcement career.
On August 4, 2014 at 9:59 am, revjen45 said:
When you can kill people with no repercussions the rules of gun safety mean a lot less to you.
On August 4, 2014 at 10:36 am, Herschel Smith said:
Great point!
On August 4, 2014 at 11:13 am, Leigh Rich said:
bLAKESBERG IS A NEAT LITTLE TOWN….CHECK GOOGLE MAP…I’d LIVE THERE.
On August 4, 2014 at 11:41 am, Paul B said:
Blakesburg…think mayberry and barney….not to condone any of this.
On August 5, 2014 at 5:27 pm, Miles said:
Well, Deputy Fife only got to carry one cartridge and had to keep it in his shirt pocket.