This was in 2011 or 2012. I was working as an armed security officer for the federal government. I was the go to “cover all posts when anyone else was sick or on vacation” guy. I had been on the job for 3 or 4 years and I happened to be working in a city of 300,000 in the federal parole, probation office.

It was a two person post with everyone entering getting their belongings x-rayed and going through the Magnetometer. Very busy post. You know, take your shoes and your belt off and empty your pockets into this bin. Everyone who worked there was a federal police officer except the admin staff. And us.

I was working with this relatively new guy. I’d worked with him a few times before and he was alert and diligent and conscientious. And I liked working with him. He also worked nights at the local mall and was sometimes a bit sleepy.

One afternoon it was a bit slow so we were sitting down in our little atrium where the x-ray and magnetometer was. We were accountable only to each other on site and our Lt, who was usually also covering a post many miles away. We were easily able to go off and take 10 or 20 minute breaks. So one day he did. He was gone about 30 minutes. When he came back he sat down and relaxed and was kinda dozing a bit. Not asleep just tired and resting.

One of the parolees who we knew fairly well came out after meeting with his parole officer. He walked right up to us and said “Hey man, I just come outta the bathroom and there's a gun in the back stall on top of the toilet paper thingy.” My partner sat bolt upright, looked at his (empty) holster, Said Shit!! and ran down the hallway. Me and the parolee had a great laugh. "I guess it was his!!" Lol.

He came back after a few minutes and after a while begged me not to tell on him. And I didn't. People make mistakes, and nothing bad came of it, and he is still a security officer and a good one.