Columbus Police Chief’s Second-in-Command Left Her Gun in a Public Women’s Restroom at Ohio Public Safety Headquarters

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COLUMBUS, OH — Columbus Division of Police First Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts, Police Chief Elaine Bryant’s second-in-command, left her gun unattended in a public restroom on Tuesday. The city’s Department of the Inspector General has now opened an investigation.

The gun was found in the public access, first-floor women’s restroom of the Charles D. Shipley Building on West Broad Street, as reported by WOSU and 10TV. The Shipley Building is the headquarters of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, troopers recovered the firearm at approximately 1:35 p.m.

The patrol said the owner was identified a short time later, and the gun was returned to the Columbus Division of Police. CPD confirmed to WOSU that the gun belonged to Potts and that she later returned to pick it up. The building was not placed on lockdown because the owner was located.

10TV described the weapon as a police duty firearm. Potts was referred to the Columbus Department of the Inspector General. That office confirmed it received a complaint. “The Department of the Inspector General (Columbus DIG) has received a complaint and opened an investigation into the allegation,” the department said.

The office stressed that the investigation is not a conclusion. “Opening an investigation is not a finding or admission of wrongdoing,” the statement said. “It is the process by which the Columbus DIG determines whether a sworn member’s actions violated CPD policy.” No findings of misconduct have been announced. CPD has not said whether Potts currently faces any discipline. 10TV said the division had not responded to its request for comment.

Potts came to Columbus with Bryant, who brought her into the department after being hired as police chief in 2021. The two previously served together in the Detroit Police Department.

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A gun that is out of the holster and out of your hands is a gun you no longer control. That holds for a patrol officer, an assistant chief, and every permit holder who walks into a public restroom. For concealed carriers, it is often not just the gun that comes out. Depending on the setup, using the bathroom can mean pulling the gun and holster off your waistband together. The answer is mindset and training, not gear. Keep one fixed routine every time you handle the gun away from your waistband, and do a deliberate check before you walk out the door.

The Inspector General’s office declined to give further details, citing the active investigation. It acknowledged 10TV’s public records request for a copy of the complaint. That request will not be processed until the staff member who handles records requests returns on Nov. 11.

Read the original story: Columbus Police Chief’s Second-in-Command Left Her Gun in a Public Women’s Restroom at Ohio Public Safety Headquarters