The Austin PD has owned the plane for at least 15 years and uses it primarily for narcotics surveillance and traffic enforcement
By Joshunda Sanders
Austin American-Statesman
AUSTIN, Tex. — An Austin police officer who officials say accidently shot himself Friday in Fort Worth was flown home by a police aircraft.
Police Chief Art Acevedo said it was the first time he knew of that the police plane had been sent to another city to pick up an injured officer.
“My primary concern was for the health and safety of my employee,” Acevedo said, adding that the officer needed to see a specialist in Austin.
Michael Rhone accidentally shot himself in the hand Friday, Acevedo said. He said the use of city resources to get the officer to Brackenridge Hospital was “crucial to saving his career.”
Acevedo said he initially heard that Rhone did not have movement in his hand.
“As you can imagine, as a police officer, your hands are part of your trade,” Acevedo said. “We learned later on that same afternoon that there was no specialist available to see him.”
Ordering the plane to bring Rhone back to Austin for treatment, said Acevedo, who became chief in July, “sends a powerful message to our officers: ‘We care about you.’ ”
Rhone has been released from the hospital, a police spokesman said.
“His prognosis is looking pretty good right now,” Acevedo said.
Rhone had taken 10 children to a basketball tournament in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Acevedo said. At some point Friday, he may have been transferring his gun to a different holster when he accidentally fired his weapon, Acevedo said.
Police spokesman Kevin Buchman said all Austin police officers are required to provide their own weapons.
Acevedo said that when he learned about the accident, he called to find out the availability of the plane. There are two aircraft available to the Police Department: a helicopter and a four-seat Cessna airplane, Acevedo said.
The department has owned the plane for at least 15 years and uses it primarily for narcotics surveillance and traffic enforcement, Buchman said.
The trip cost the city about $264, Acevedo said. It took 3.3 hours.
Internal affairs officers are investigating the incident, which is policy when a firearm is accidently discharged, Acevedo said.
Copyright 2007 The Austin American-Statesman
All Rights Reserved