A platoon leader is at risk of losing his job after storing weapons and a large amount of ammunition in his office, claiming he did so to help colleagues. The discovery led to a police investigation for suspected weapons offenses.
Platoon Leader Faces Dismissal Over Unauthorized Ammunition Storage
Platoon Leader Faces Dismissal Over Unauthorized Ammunition Storage
A platoon leader stored weapons and a large amount of ammunition in his office. According to the man himself, he received the ammunition from colleagues "to be kind." Now, he risks being fired.
At the end of May this year, an employee at an air squadron found a handgun in the deputy platoon leader's unlocked desk drawer. The police were called, and a search was conducted.
During the search, another handgun was found for which the man lacked a license, along with 1,564 projectiles and six tear gas canisters.
The police have launched a preliminary investigation into suspected weapons offenses.
In addition to breaking Swedish law, the platoon leader, who is also an ammunition disposal leader, has violated the squadron's internal rules, which do not allow personnel to store ammunition in their office.
"To Be Kind"
The platoon leader is now reported to the personnel responsibility board. The air squadron wants him removed from service and states in its report to the board that the platoon leader's actions "raise serious questions about his reliability, judgment, and vulnerabilities."
According to the unit, he has "grossly neglected the Armed Forces' security regulations, his duty responsibilities, the Armed Forces' values, and the employer's right to expect lawful behavior in service."
The platoon leader admits to storing ammunition in his office but claims he received it from colleagues to "be kind or because they didn't have time to return it to the depot."
He says he received one of the handguns from a colleague who got it through an estate. According to the platoon leader, he intended to hand the weapon over to the police but "didn't have time."
The Armed Forces stated in a comment to Expressen that due to the police report and the case being taken up by the Armed Forces' personnel responsibility board, they are refraining from commenting on the matter.