Victoria police Chief Jamie Graham may be the B.C. city's top cop, but he hasn't been setting a very good example for his officers.

This week the chief received a reprimand for storing his gun in his unattended cruiser. He tucked the loaded firearm under the seat of his unmarked police car and headed off to a press conference.

The car was parked inside the police department's secure garage, and no one was hurt, but the faux pas has embarrassed the department. If it was Graham's only mistake while chief, it wouldn't be a big issue, but he has proven to be a loose cannon, so to speak.

The department's policy on guns says they must be unloaded and locked inside a locking drawer, which in turn must be within a locked locker.

Not only did Graham forget all about safe storage of his gun, the press conference he set off for announced that a search of all police buildings and cars would be carried out because some equipment is missing.

The search he ordered turned up the loaded and improperly-stored gun in his car.

It's Graham's third misconduct while serving as Victoria's chief. He was previously the police chief in Vancouver, where two other disciplinary matter came up during his tenure.

One case in Vancouver involved Graham and a target practice sheet; the kind that shows the outline of a person. Graham allegedly saw fit to fill the shadow's head with bullet holes and leave it on the city manager's desk.

If Graham was a baseball player, he'd be out. If he was a city bus driver or garbage collector – after three serious complaints – he'd be looking for work.

Yet as the top law-enforcement officer in B.C.'s capital city, he has shown he's not only unable to follow the rules, he appears to have a history of antisocial behaviour.

The job description for a police chief would no doubt include the ability to set a good example and the willingness to get along with others. So how did Graham pass the interview and, given his record since he was hired, how has he kept his job?

The investigation of Graham's most recent mistake with the loaded gun also raises questions about the process of investigating police officers.

The internal investigation was carried out by the Victoria police department's two deputy chiefs. While they didn't bury the incident and a reprimand was handed down, the public cannot be sure that internally-led investigations are always on the up-and-up. The appearance of a conflict of interest will leave some people wondering what was missed.

At the very least, a police complaint against a chief should be referred to another police force to investigate. In Victoria, the Vancouver police might be a good choice to take on a case, but given Graham's record there, that option is better left off the list.

Should a police chief be held to higher standards than his officers or other city employees? Can a police department carry out an internal investigation that the public can trust?