Kensington cop allegedly hired prostitute who stole his gun, badge

KENSINGTON, Calif. (KGO) -- An East Bay police sergeant is in trouble and under investigation for his alleged involvement with a Nevada sex worker. Kensington police Sgt. Keith Barrow had his gun stolen during the encounter. And the man who ended up with it shot himself in the leg.

"I think it's disgraceful," said Kensington resident Eyleen Naldony. "It's embarrassing,"

Her reaction is similar to what we heard all around the small East Bay Hills community of Kensington, to word that one of the town's highest ranking police officers had his gun, badge, and handcuffs stolen by a Reno prostitute last May.

"It's hard to believe that a police officer could be so not smart; leaving his gun and his badge somewhere where someone could take them." said Naldony.

As first reported by the Contra Costa Times, Barrow reported his gun stolen by a prostitute after an encounter in a Reno motel on May 23. The police sergeant's attorney told the Contra Costa Times that his client may have been drugged.

While it appears Kensington Police Chief Greg Harman learned of the incident almost immediately, it's unclear when the citizen board that oversees the department found out.

"It's very strange that it wasn't talked about," said Mari Metcalf, a former member of Kensington's elected Police Protection and Community Services District. "It's disappointing when you find out that someone who is charged with protecting the public and upholding the law hasn't actually done that."

Harman did not return ABC7 News' repeated calls for comment and no one answered the door at Barrow's Antioch home. The police sergeant's attorney did not respond to our calls, either.

"That sort of irresponsible behavior is not to be tolerated," said Kensington resident Jim Hoskins. "And the fact that's it's been sort of kept under the rug now for months really concerns me."

Several Kensington residents told us they have been trying to get Harman and the police department to act with greater transparency for years.