BOURNE, Mass. — An independent investigation has concluded that Bourne Police Chief Brandon Esip violated department policies by leaving his service weapon unattended in the public lobby of police headquarters for several minutes in June.
Chief Esip returned to Bourne Police Headquarters on June 9, 2026, after a range training session carrying his service belt, which contained his holstered firearm, according to an independent report dated Aug. 3, 2026, that Boston 25 News obtained.
After entering the building, he placed the belt on a bench in the lobby while moving delivery boxes left near the entrance.
The investigation found that Esip left the service belt unattended at about 2:27 p.m. and that it remained there for about three minutes before another officer secured it. Surveillance video reviewed during the investigation corroborated the sequence of events.
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The report noted that two civilians were present in the lobby while the firearm was unattended and within reach. Investigators determined the weapon was not loaded and that no ammunition or magazines were on the belt at the time.
Attorney Christopher L. Brown, who conducted the independent review, concluded that Esip’s actions violated three Bourne Police Department policies requiring officers to maintain control and security of their firearms at all times. The report sustained allegations first raised by a police lieutenant.
Brown wrote that maintaining custody and control of firearms is a serious responsibility, particularly for law enforcement leaders who are held to a higher standard.
The report also examined similar cases from other Massachusetts police departments. In one case, a Barnstable police sergeant received a 10-day unpaid suspension after leaving a loaded firearm in a restaurant bathroom where it was discovered by a child. In another, a Plymouth police captain was suspended without pay for 20 days after leaving a service weapon in a courthouse bathroom.
While Brown found Esip’s conduct warranted discipline, he stated the circumstances did not appear as severe as those cases because the weapon was unloaded and unattended for only a brief period. The report noted that disciplinary actions imposed statewide for unsecured firearms have ranged from written warnings to 20-day unpaid suspensions and retraining.
The report was submitted to Bourne Town Administrator Marlene McCollem, who suspended Esip without pay for five days, starting on Aug. 20, 2026.
In a letter to Esip, McCollem acknowledged that the incident was an “unintended mistake,” but called the act a “serious infraction.”
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