Peel police officer docked 15 days' pay after leaving loaded gun in mall change room

A Peel Regional Police constable has been found guilty of misconduct and fined 15 days’ pay after leaving her loaded gun and other equipment in a change room at Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga, just outside Toronto. She was subsequently arrested for unsafe storage of a firearm under section 86(2) of the Criminal Code of Canada.

According to an agreed statement of facts released by Peel Police, Cst. Zahra Yusufzay was working in plain clothes on Dec. 16, 2024, when she went to the Mango clothing store in Square One Shopping Centre on her lunch break. Entering the change room to try on pants for work, she removed her duty belt, which contained her firearm, an additional loaded magazine and handcuffs.

While she was in the change room, Yusufzay got a phone call from another officer asking her to do a translation by phone. She left the change room and went to her car to do the translation there, leaving her belt behind.

“The equipment was then discovered by a Mango store employee, who reported it to Square One mall security, who in turn notified (Peel Regional Police),” the statement reads. “PRP paid duty officers at Square One attended the Mango location. They treated the firearm as a potential public safety risk, rendered it safe, and secured the equipment.”

A police supervisor was notified and arrived at the mall to pick up the equipment. By this time, Yusufzay had realized she’d left it behind and phoned the store and the mall security before returning to the mall.

“She was reunited with her equipment by the PRP on-scene supervisor,” the statement reads, adding: “She was very apologetic.”

PRP Internal Affairs was notified of the incident, and the following March, Yusufzay was arrested by a member of that department for unsafe storage of a firearm. She was not detained.

“In leaving her police-issued use of force equipment, including a loaded firearm, unattended in a public area, it is alleged that Cst. Yusufzay conducted herself in a manner that undermined, or is likely to undermine, public trust in policing, contrary to section 10 of the prescribed Code of Conduct,” the statement notes.

Yusufzay accepted responsibility and is deemed to have pleaded guilty to violating the Code of Conduct. “Cst. Yusufzay is directed to forfeit fifteen days or 120 hours,” the statement says.

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