Hornell police chief suspended for one week without pay after 'lapse in judgment'

Neal Simon, Hornell Evening Tribune
·2 min read

The Hornell Board of Public Safety has suspended Hornell Police Chief Ted Murray for one week without pay for leaving his gun unattended during an incident at police headquarters.

Murray, who was cleared by the Steuben County District Attorney's Office of criminal responsibility for the April incident, apologized in a statement for a "lapse in judgment" and said he accepted the suspension by the public safety board.

The move comes after an internal investigation by the city and an independent probe by the DA's office.

Both investigations have been completed, officials said in a news release Friday.

Murray admitted he "inadvertently" left his firearm unattended at the police department on April 8, 2024.

Hornell police chief Ted Murray was suspended for one week without pay for leaving his firearm unattended at the police department.
Hornell police chief Ted Murray was suspended for one week without pay for leaving his firearm unattended at the police department.

Neither Murray or city officials provided more specifics about the incident, including what length of time Murray was without the gun or how secure it was while unattended.

Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker said last week the inquiry reviewed body camera footage, interviewed Murray and other witnesses and examined police department records before concluding "there was no basis for further investigation or any criminal charges."

Baker said all DA office's reports and findings on the matter were turned over to Hornell officials.

In a statement Friday, the Board of Public Safety said it is committed to "upholding high standards of accountability and transparency."

The board said Murray promptly reported the incident to Hornell Mayor John Buckley and Hornell Public Safety commissioners David Parmely and Scott Richardson.

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The veteran police chief expressed regret for the incident.

"I acknowledge the seriousness of this situation, and take full responsibility," he said in a statement. "As Chief of Police, I hold myself to a high standard of conduct. I apologize for this lapse in judgment, and accept the consequences set forth by the Board."

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This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hornell police chief suspended, apologizes for 'lapse in judgment'