Gary C. Radloff, 69, Grand Marais was injured when the Glock semiautomatic .40 caliber handgun he was cleaning accidentally discharged on Saturday, June 11, 2011. Radloff called Cook County Law Enforcement and transported himself to the emergency room of North Shore Hospital. He was then transported to Duluth.
Radloff works as a bailiff/transporter for the Cook County Sheriff ‘s Office. Chief Deputy Leif Lunde said the gun was Radloff’s service revolver, but unlike a patrol deputy, he owns the firearm. Lunde said bailiffs do undergo the same weapons training as sheriff deputies. Asked if he foresees any changes to weapons procedures for the sheriff ’s office, Lunde replied, “Yes. Although our training is more than what the state requires, we will modify it to attempt to avoid another incident like this one.”
Lunde said the incident is being investigated. Radloff’s fitness for duty will be evaluated while he recovers.
Radloff cautioned other gun owners. “Never, never, take it as a routine, no matter how many times you do it. If you get distracted— start over! I was very, very, lucky. No bones were broken.”
He added, “Hopefully someone else can learn from this.”
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