More Detroit madness: City groundskeeper fired after finding loaded gun, handing it to cop

[Dennis Olson]

Detroit groundskeeper fired after finding loaded gun, handing it to cops

Published May 15, 2012

| FoxNews.com

A Detroit groundskeeper, who turned in a loaded handgun he found hidden in weeds while working, was fired by the city’s Department of Public Services, MyFoxDetroit reports.

John Chevilott, who is just two years shy of retirement, found the loaded snub-nosed revolver on May 3 when he and his crew were mowing a lawn in Wayne County. Chevilott secured the gun, waiting for police to drive by so he could hand it over to them.

[pullquote]

But, according to the station, the Detroit police never did pass by, so Chevilott finished his work that day, drove the gun home and later that same evening turned it into his local police department.

He says the cops ran the gun and discovered the weapon had been stolen from St. Clair Shores in 2005.

"They said I did the right thing getting it off the street," Chevilott told MyFoxDetroit.

However, Chevilott's superiors at the Department of Public Services had a much different opinion. His foreman, who had knowledge of the situation, was suspended for 30 days, and after 23 years on the job, Chevilott was fired for violating department policies.

According to a Wayne County spokeswoman and the rules, employees aren't allowed to possess a weapon on work property.

Chevilott says he didn't bring a weapon to work. He found it on the job.

"There is no policy. I've never seen a policy what to do if we find a gun out here. So, all I did was secure the situation to make sure nobody else got hurt or killed."

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[Richard]

who'd want to work in the public sector...........

[Lone Wolf]

Damn fools!

Perhaps a lawyer can help him get his retirement secured and perhaps a little boot from that asinine city.

lw

[Satanta]

Damn fools!

Perhaps a lawyer can help him get his retirement secured and perhaps a little boot from that asinine city.

lw

I hope so and let that be a warning to you-find a gun, keep it and dispose of it in whatever means you see fit but don't go telling anyone about it-especially your boss'.

[Dobbin]

He'll win in court. This case hinges around the fact that he apparently notified his superior about the gun - and received no direct instruction about disposal other than wait for the police.

A good human, he did what he was told. Or tried.

Dobbin

[Straycat]

John Chevilott, who is just two years shy of retirement

I'm willing to bet that's the key statement there. Fire him for some trumped-up reason and maybe they don't have to pay his pension?

[Dennis Olson]

Can't do that to a public-unionized employee. You have to have 15 kinds of documentation over an extended period.

[Chair Warmer]

I hope so and let that be a warning to you-find a gun, keep it and dispose of it in whatever means you see fit but don't go telling anyone about it-especially your boss'.

I would turn it in because it could very likely be a stashed murder weapon that could help police solve a case. That could help bring justice for a murder victim's family and get a killer off the streets.

[Scotto]

So much for playing along with .gov's - "See something say something" dealio.

[Blastoff]

More details from the MYFOXDETROIT story:

Chevilott also was let go for insubordination and unauthorized access to the road yard.

But he's public sector union; he'll sue, get back wages and reinstatement and his pension, at the very least.

[Dennis Olson]

However, Chevilott's superiors at the Department of Public Services had a much different opinion. His foreman, who had knowledge of the situation, was suspended for 30 days, and after 23 years on the job, Chevilott was fired for violating department policies.

According to a Wayne County spokeswoman and the rules, employees aren't allowed to possess a weapon on work property.


Regardless of why they SAY he was fired in the "official" documentation, the spokesman is ON THE RECORD as saying it was for the gun. He'll get his job back no problem.

[Kook]

I would have been fired as well I suppose. I'd turn it in, don't want any firearm that I don't know the history, and I sure don't want a gang banger finding it. I think the smarter thing to do would be call the police immediately. If I didn't have a phone, I'd ask someone with a cellie to call for me.

[Dobbin]

I would have been fired as well I suppose. I'd turn it in, don't want any firearm that I don't know the history, and I sure don't want a gang banger finding it. I think the smarter thing to do would be call the police immediately. If I didn't have a phone, I'd ask someone with a cellie to call for me.

Even that might not have worked. He bends over to pick up the gun to hand it to the policeman. "HA - GOTCHA" his supervisor says. "You're in possession of a firearms while on work property."

Maybe if he points to the firearm in the bushes and lets the police pick it up?

So stupid. The whole thing. There has to be more reason for his dismissal. More likely an undocumented personality conflict.

Dobbin

[Scotto]

If there was justice in this world, the man who was fired would get his supervisor's job, now that he's proven he can at least act in the interest of safety and think on his feet.

The supervisor is most likely a moron who got the job because he knew someone or something. Just because people are promoted to "supervisor" doesn't mean they know how to supervise.

[nharrold]

who'd want to work in the public sector...........

Imagine how his co-workers now feel after seeing what management did to this fellow.

[Kook]

If there was justice in this world, the man who was fired would get his supervisor's job, now that he's proven he can at least act in the interest of safety and think on his feet.

The supervisor is most likely a moron who got the job because he knew someone or something. Just because people are promoted to "supervisor" doesn't mean they know how to supervise.

The Peter Principle is real and works in every organization that is large enough to bear the consequences.