A suburban Chicago school cancelled classes Tuesday after its resource officer misplaced his gun.
The gun was lost when the officer used the restroom Monday afternoon just before school was dismissed at Forest View Educational Center.
According to Arlington Heights police, the school resource officer removed his firearm from his duty holster while using the restroom. He realized the gun was missing shortly after students were dismissed at the end of the day.
The resource officer then searched the restroom for the gun and contacted authorities to help in the search when his search was not successful.
Arlington Heights Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Police and Palatine Police conducted an extensive search of the school grounds using K9 units specifically trained for weapon detection to no avail.
Hallway surveillance images showed a limited number of people entering the restroom. Authorities have still not been able to locate the firearm.
“The Arlington Heights Police Department regrets this unfortunate and embarrassing incident occurred,” Arlington Heights Police Chief Nicholas Pecora Jr. said in a news release. “The Department will conduct a comprehensive review pursuant to applicable policy. We are committed to remaining accountable for our actions as an organization and taking responsibility for the frustration and anger this incident caused within our school community.”
Out of an abundance of caution, school administrators decided to cancel classes Tuesday.
Officials added there will be an additional uniformed police presence at the Forest View campus in the coming days and officers will work with school officials to ensure the safety of all students and staff.
