Elgin cop disciplined after wife shoots his gun

An Elgin police officer has received a letter of reprimand for an incident in which his wife accidentally shot his service weapon inside their home while showing his gun collection to visiting relatives.

The reprimand, obtained by the Daily Herald Wednesday through the Freedom of Information Act, states Officer Jason Barnard violated departmental policy advising officers to keep their weapons secured.

"Your negligence resulted in the accidental discharge of your duty weapon by another household member," Police Chief Lisa Womack wrote in the document.

The disciplinary action for Barnard, a member of the city's force since September 2006, follows an internal police probe into the Dec. 23 shooting incident at the officer's Pingree Grove home. According to Pingree Grove police reports, the shooting occurred as Barnard and his wife, Arianne, were hosting a holiday dinner.

About 10 p.m. Barnard unloaded his guns, displayed them on a bed for all to see and then left the room, police said. His wife, reports state, picked up his service weapon - a .45 caliber Smith and Wesson - and inserted a magazine of ammunition to display to her aunt how heavy it was when loaded.

The gun discharged, sending a bullet through a wall in the Barnard townhouse, across an alley and into a wall attached to a neighbor's home, said Pingree Grove Police Chief Carol Lussky. Nobody was injured.

Reports said the Barnards delayed reporting the incident nearly 12 hours and Officer Barnard initially refused to let a Pingree Grove sergeant serve court papers to his wife. Reports also said alcohol was not involved in the incident.

Barnard did not return a phone call Wednesday seeking comment.

Arianne Barnard was cited for discharging a firearm within the village limits and is due to appear in court Tuesday. She could be fined up to $500 if found guilty.