Second Sheriff's Officer Shoots Self In Leg...

Wanna know from whence the ignorant media gets it's information on guns? Law enforcement, and of course, lousy movie writers.

"A mandatory round of firearms training was ordered for all Morris County Sheriff's officers yesterday after a second officer in three days accidentally shot himself in the leg, Sheriff Edward Rochford said.

Veteran Detective Chester Kurdyla, 49, wounded himself late Sunday night at the county jail in Morris Township after transporting a prisoner to the lockup, said Rochford.

Kurdyla stored his gun when he entered the jail. When he completed his duties at 11:50 p.m., he retrieved the gun, a .40 caliber Glock, and was putting it back in his holster when it discharged, sending a bullet into his right thigh.

The officer was taken to Morristown Memorial Hospital, where he was listed yesterday in good condi tion, said a hospital spokeswoman.

On Friday afternoon, 33-year-old Sheriff's Officer Wilman Diaz, also shot himself in the leg. Diaz was in an office adjacent to the front-door security post at the county courthouse in Morristown and was about to turn in his .40 caliber Glock for a bi-annual weapons inspection when it discharged as he removed it from his holster, said authorities.

Diaz remained in Morristown Memorial Hospital yesterday, listed in good condition.

Rochford said the Morris County Prosecutor's Office has been asked to review both shootings, with both weapons to be checked by an independent armorer for possible defects.

"The incidents are of grave concern to the officers and our agency and what has occurred is totally unacceptable," said Rochford. "The investigation will determine if this was a gun malfunction, officer error or training issue. Our agency then will take the appropriate corrective action to protect the safety of our officers and employees."

Rochford also stressed that all officers in his department immediately will meet with firearms instructors to re-emphasize weapons safety training, "specifically taking the weapon out of the holster and returning it to the holster safely."

Kurdyla and Diaz both were qualified marksmen who had passed annual weapons training courses during the summer, said officials. Kurdyla's gun, he said, was last checked and found to be working properly on Aug. 14.

Both officers were military veterans who were well-versed in weapons use, said Mark Chiaro lanza, president of Policemen's Benevolent Association Local 151, which represents sheriff's officers. He said both officers are professionals who are "very embarrassed this happened."

"I don't think we should speculate or point fingers at anyone until we get the final report from the prosecutor," said Chiarolanza, who added his members would welcome any additional training the sheriff might offer."

Nah, we wouldn't EVER want to point fingers until the whitewash is complete, now would we. Rumor has it, that each and every time a cop shoots himself or someone else by mistake, Glock employees drown a kitten in Smyrna, Georgia.

Repeat after me: It is NOT an accident when you fire a gun. As long as the weapon is functioning properly, your actions are the result of NEGLIGENCE. Guns do NOT discharge until the trigger is activated. Only, and I repeat, ONLY, the absolute doltish morons alive, holster a handgun with a finger on the trigger.

You shoot on purpose, or were negligent. Negligent people need not be carrying firearms and a badge at the same time. In the officers defense, it would be helpful to practice more than once or twice a year though, but now will come the clarion call for safeties on Glocks. And as we all known, MAKING A GUN SAFE IS ABJECT STUPIDITY.

Thank heavens that the last time I checked, NJ law enforcement officers were still using fmj's or those horrid Expanding-FMJ's. A Ranger T or Federal HST would have cleared out an awful lot of meat. And not for nothing, but how, in the name of all that is holy, do you squeeze a NY2 trigger...12 pounds...by mistake?

You don't. A great many of these LE-ND's are caused by holster retention straps getting in the way. The officer chitchats or otherwise pays little attention to the task at hand while re-holstering, doesn't realize that the strap has worked it's way inside the trigger guard, pushes with an extra oomph, and pow. Another "It went off by itself!"

Thanks to A Keyboard and a .45 for the links.

And, it sucks that we did just answer a question about Glocks and negligent discharges, but you can read it here.