District: School security guard fired after leaving gun in bathroom

Babylon High School located at 50 Railroad Ave. in Babylon, seen on Wednesday. Credit: James Carbone
A high school security guard is out of a job after leaving an unloaded gun in a bathroom, school officials said.
The superintendent of the Babylon school district sent a letter to parents Tuesday notifying them of the incident and punishment, identifying the security staff member at Babylon Junior-Senior High School only as a retired Suffolk County police officer.
After school on Tuesday, administrators were notified that "an unloaded, holstered weapon was found on the countertop in the bathroom adjacent to the east gymnasium" at the school, Superintendent Linda Rozzi said in the letter.
The weapon was unattended for "a very brief time," Rozzi said.
"At no time was the safety of our students or staff in jeopardy, as the weapon was unloaded and was quickly recovered," Rozzi said.
An investigation "determined that the weapon belonged to a retired Suffolk County police officer who was working at the building as part of the district's security team," the letter said.
The employee was "relieved of his duties, effective immediately," the letter said, and the district is reviewing its "safety and security protocols," Rozzi said.
A school district spokeswoman said Wednesday that, according to Board of Education policy, no employees are permitted "to carry a weapon on school grounds or in any facility."
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