Mich. County Worker Finds Loaded Gun on the Job, Turns it Over to Police — And Gets Fired
- Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:34pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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WJBK-TV
Detroit police told groundskeeper John Chevilott he did the right thing by turning over a loaded handgun he found on the job earlier this month.
His Wayne County employers had a different opinion: They fired him for it.
Chevilott and his crew were mowing county property in Westland, Mich. when they came across a snubnosed revolver on the morning of May 3.
“It was damaged, so it could’ve went off. Surprisingly, it didn’t kill the guy on the mower,” Chevilott told WJBK-TV. “It got picked up, so we put it in the van, waited [for] police to drive by.”
But when police didn’t come by, Chevilott finished up his workday and drove the gun to the station himself. Officers ran a check and discovered it had been stolen in 2005.
“They said I did the right thing getting it off the street,” he said.
It seems his superiors in Michigan’s public works department disagreed. They gave the foreman who had been in charge a 30-day suspension, and fired Chevilott after 23 years of service.
A Wayne County spokeswoman told WJBK the rules are clear: Employees aren’t allowed to possess weapons on the job.
But Chevilott said that policy doesn’t apply; he didn’t bring the gun — he found it.
“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,” he said.
Chevilott — who was also let go for insubordination and unauthorized access to the road yard — wants his job back and has enlisted the help of his local union president.
Thomas Richards told WJBK the situation is simple: “They did a good thing. They took a gun off the streets and they’re being punished.”
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Comments (122)
TexOkie
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:06pmHopefully when all is said and done the right people will be fired and this man will have his job back if not theirs.
Report Post »TurboCat
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 4:29amHow come it is so difficult to get rid of bad teachers (protected by union) but this guy gets fired so easily? 23 years of service and he gets the shaft? His union boss better do something for him because they are usually so good for nothing and here is their opportunity to show that they are good for something!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 6:24amMichigan… has been a Democrat State… electing some Progressive Republicans… where Union influence controls Government… and the Liberals are everywhere… as far back as I can remember!
Report Post »poorrichard09
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 8:08amI guess if your city is bankrupt there’s one way to cut expenses-fire your long-term employees for idiotic “infractions.”
Report Post »Silversmith
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 9:01amClearly this has been done for reasons other than what have been stated.
Silversmith
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 9:20amThe problem is, it’s Detroit. Only the criminals are allowed to have guns there, right? So they just assumed that ifhe had a gun, he must be a criminal.
Report Post »mr.goodvibe
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 9:43amThese stupid trolls in down state make us yoopers and miciganders look bad, everybody, Michigan is beautiful and the people are very conservative once you get north of Saginaw, anything south of that seems lost in a liberal la la land.
Report Post »SiKa7x
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 11:10amAmen to that! I love northern Michigan. Long live Frankfort!
Report Post »Tennessee Veteran
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 12:11pmIf he had tried to keep the gun and got caught with it I could see disciplinary action against him. He would have been better off if he had tracked down the local drug dealer and given him the revolver. What ever happened to Do The Right Thing? This guy apparently did just that and was fired for it.
Report Post »jtmfc
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 3:18pmThe stupidity of this situation is beyond comprehension. He secured the gun before anyone got hurt and deserved a commendation for his taking it to the authorities. What would have happened if a child picked up the gun and was injured, would the worker be fired for not doing his job by not finding the gun? This proves that some people, in positions of power, have no common sense.
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 6:18amone good lawyer and the guy may never have to work again. what idiots his so called superiors are.
Report Post »Realist4U
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 5:30pmExactly! A nice hefty lawsuit should bring this man justice.
Report Post »Tri-ox
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:59pmChevilott was fired because he is white – it’s pretty simple.
Report Post »woodyb
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:27pmYes, what are white people doing turning in guns to the police which we could put to good use in the ‘hood’?????????
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 12:06am“…It was damaged, so it could’ve went off. Surprisingly, it didn’t kill the guy on the mower,”…”
Report Post »Which just goes to prove all those frightening stories put out by the progresive commie lib anti-gun people are wrong: guns don’t just go off by themselves, even when run over with a mower. It also validates the truth of how many idiots are out there who think guns go off by themselves.
Meyvn
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:58pmLame. I guess he should have kept it. Live and learn.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:32pmI think the intent of the policy (which we may never know) is if a firearm is found….call it in immediately and have the police secure the weapon. Ya know only a QUALIFIED public employee is allowed to touch a gun.
Commonsense no longer exits…
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 11:49pmstoic you are correct no longer is common sense prevalent in our society. apparently doing the right thing is getting harder the penalties are so great. praying for this man
Report Post »starman70
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 9:14am@STOIC ONE:
Right you are!!! A public employee acts for the public good and gets fired. Liberal leftist Democrat engendered policies in action.
Look at how many employees of private companies have been fired for stopping armed robberies, assaults, shop lifting and many other crimes perpetrated by “Customers”. In the past, if a druggistor a store employee stopped an armed robbery, they would have been a hero. Not so today, now if an employee stops a criminal action or a crime in progress, the employee is villified, fired and treated worse than the criminal. To wit: A grocery stocker stopped a shoplifter and held him for police – - he was FIRED! A druggist stopped an armed robber going after prescription drugs – - he was FIRED! A meat cutter in a grocery stops an assault on a woman right in front of his meat counter – - he was FIRED! 2 employees who stopped a shoplifter in a chain clothing store and held the perpetrator for police- – They were FIRED! The assinine reason that the companies give? “You are not supposed to interfere with or touch ”Customers”". Customers? WHAAAAT the ****? Since when is a shoplifter or an armed robber a customer?
It all goes to show that, in the leftist dominated political environment, true criminals have more rights and piviledges than law abiding citizens. It’s high time that common sense become the law instead of mamby pamby stupidity which is common nowadays.
THE PEOPLE WHO ACTED TO PREVENT THESE CRIMES ARE TRUE HEROES!!!!
Report Post »mr.goodvibe
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 9:46amIts like the old sayin, No good deed goes unpunished!
Report Post »christopher.duncan2388
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 8:31pmThis sort of thing reminds me of that guy who offered a teenage girl a ride during a snow storm and was cited and placed under investigation by the pd because of it, we’re no longer allowed to even try to be half way decent people without some kind of punishment….
Report Post »Stewie
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:58pmSo, one of them gets fired and another suspended for thirty days? Better hope none of the other employees ever stumble across another “damaged” firearm. It might “accidentally” discharge into one of the County officials who show up to take it away from the workers after they’ve called to report it. ;)
Report Post »dirty rotten liars
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:53pmSounds like a set up. Place a gun where you know the guy will be working. Since he’s the Forman anyone who finds it passes it along to him.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:47pmThere is more to this story than meets the eye. Get a GOOD attorney and sue the pants off of them.
Report Post »Let’s see what comes out in the depositions.
cassandra
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:39pmthis explains the morons that are running detroit
Report Post »DEFCON4
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:55pmThe city of Detroit employs more people,then all private sector buisnesses combined .
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:09pmagreed
Report Post »clara7480
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 7:45amdetroit is a toilet
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:38pmWOW, people in Michigan are morons. Please stay up there, we do not want you here.
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:45pmNot everyone in Michigan are Morons and we are getting stronger.
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:46pmIt‘s the ones from the big cities you don’t want.
Report Post »AmericanFightingMan1
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 12:10amDetroit was once the richest place on earth. Then, people took it for granted, didn’t guard the gates, and before long, poof, it all went to hell. And it is a zombieland from hell. Sad.
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 2:06pmI was out and about this Sat and the morons were out in force begging for proposal signitures when I ask what for ? jobs
Report Post »I ask again what for ?
Answer to build more Casino’s
ComradeAdam
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:24pmEmployeers don’t fire over technicalities like this, they use them as an excuse. They wanted to get rid of him before they would be on the hook for his retirement and this seemed like a good excuse to them.
Report Post »MAULEMALL
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:39pm23 years and to pale…
Dis is fo you travon
Report Post »RamonPreston
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 10:38amExactly. Replace him with a minimum wage worker. Happens all the time.
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:20pmwhy didn’t they call the police to come pick it up??????? could have been used in a crime …fingerprints?
Report Post »RRFlyer
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:34pmGet real.
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 2:04pm“It was damaged, so it could’ve went off. Surprisingly, it didn’t kill the guy on the mower,” Chevilott told WJBK-TV. “It got picked up, so we put it in the van, waited [for] police to drive by.”
But when police didn’t come by, Chevilott finished up his workday and drove the gun to the station himself. Officers ran a check and discovered it had been stolen in 2005.
I would simply like to point out that the mower ran over it. They may not have known what it was until they picked it up. And even so, they may not have realized it was a “real” gun, as there are replicas out there.
As for the charges – well, the department may incur more legal costs than it would have cost to keep the employee on. Also, he may be vested, so there may not be a lost of retirement, but it would impact the amount he gets.
Report Post »ClarityCalif
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:16pmSounds like Wayne County is looking for a lawsuit for wrongful termination. Stupidity has a cost!
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:08pmNow here where you NEED THE UNION
Report Post »Favored93
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 11:19pmYa the one time out of a million lol
Report Post »Even a bind squirrel can find a nut once in a while!
lukerw
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 8:29amThe Unions support the Democrats… so to collect Union Dues from him… so some Democrat can Fire him… seems a litter INSANE!
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:06pmYour not allowed to use common sense anymore in this country. Taking matters into your own hands is a very tricky venture apparently.
Report Post »Bum thrower
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:50pmDumb ass; should have kept it and no one would have been the wiser; STUPID!!
Report Post »FortySixand2
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:03pmno good deed goes unpunished
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:51pmHad he been dishonest and a crackhead he could’ve gotten a couple rocks for it.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:58pmThat’s progressive Detroit for ya.
Report Post »FortySixand2
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:58pmWe’re from the government, we’re here to help. Got chills just typing that. Dude should get his own license, work for himself, and when the contracts come up for bid, undercut the city just for the h e !! of it.
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 10:54pmSorry it’s to corrupt there no chance.
Report Post »Favored93
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 11:24pmThe problems in what you said is the license and you did not take into account how corrupt Detroit is. What the hell is the government doing making people get a license to earn an honest living?!
Report Post »This kind of thing just Piss’s me off! You fire a guy 2 years before retirement because he did what the government tells us to do…turn it in let them handle it! This is a raw deal.
toto
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:58pmThere has to be more to the story, if not the person responsible for the firing should be fired for extraordinary stupidity. The standards for liberal dumbness are impossibly low, but this “boss” penetrated that floor by a country mile.
Report Post »db321
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:55pmI would like to hear from an Attorney of that State if this firing is considered Lawful! Sound like a focus on the letter of the Law and not Spirit of the Law.
Report Post »SageInWaiting
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:00pmSounds like the “Zero Tolerance” that’s been in the schools for years. Authoritarian rule does not allow reason, logic, or compassion to get in the way of the bureaucracy edict.
Report Post »db321
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 7:46pmWell said!
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:54pmHAHAHAHA!!! Rules are rules, after all.
Oh my gosh…….really??? Can you imagine these idiots in charge of your health care?
Report Post »toto
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:13pmYou got that right!
Report Post »SageInWaiting
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:52pmWayne County – essentially, Detroit… The county commissioner is being pressured to resign because of improper expenditures authorized by people under him and pending federal indictments of other and THIS guy gets fired. Is it any surprised that this area is such a crime ridden, corrupt pit, destroyed by 50 years of Democrat rule? Righteousness and common sense packed up and left YEARS ago.
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 11:00pmYup back 2003 when Granholmn took over I left for Alabama.
Report Post »FeliciaJewel
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:51pmHow sad is that, they guy should not have lost his job. Give the job back and a bonus for doing the right thing!!!!!
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 11:03pmNo tolerance for honest union employee’s read the manual.
Report Post »wordweaver
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:47pmIdiots. Once the folks in city government that actually have the capacity for rational thought get on this, his job will be restored. If it isn’t, I’d be finding a good attorney, cuz these knuckleheads really blew it.
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:46pmOld news???
Report Post »RLTW
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:43pmLook the union knows what they’re, this is proof that we must comply with progressive insanity.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:43pmThis is when you need unions, because the management in this story obviously have no good sense.
Earth to Mgmt.
Criminals steal guns
Criminals use guns in a a crime.
Criminals then dispose of guns on someone else’s property or public property.
Meaning that occasionally public employees will find guns. But Wayne country includes Detroit, which is corrupt to the hilt. Maybe someone has a son nephew or friend that needs a job.
Looky a job just magically appeared..
Report Post »bayoucastine
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:02pmOr perhaps one of the ‘management’ recognized the gun ‘cus it use to be his!
Report Post »DesdemonasCrew
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:40pmNow this is insane! We need the rest of the story.
Report Post »SageInWaiting
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:55pmThat IS the story in the press; he was fired 2 years from retirement. The governments are so in debt, maybe it was one less employee; could be just PC anti-gun stupidity.
Report Post »digitalist
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:00pmThe other half of the story is that his boss is a democrat.
Report Post »Realist4U
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 5:32pmYup! Keeping my ear to the ground.
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