An off-duty Napa County sheriff’s deputy and his service weapon were reunited after a customer found the loaded firearm in the bathroom of a restaurant in Cotati last Friday.

The deputy, who was not in uniform, stopped to use the restroom, Capt. John Robertson said.

“He left to go home, when in a very short time he realized he had left his gun in the bathroom,” he said.

Robertson said he turned around and when he got to the restaurant the Cotati police were there. “Someone had found the gun and turned it over to the restaurant staff, who called police,” he said.

Robertson they are not releasing the name of the deputy because “at this time it is a personnel issue.”

He has not been cited or arrested. He has been with the department eight years and is currently still assigned to patrol, Robertson said.

Robertson said there will be an internal investigation into the incident to determine if there is any wrongdoing on the deputy’s part. “But we haven’t started the investigation yet. We are waiting to get reports from Cotati police.”

If there is an investigation, it will conducted by the American Canyon Police Department.

If the deputy is found negligent, action taken against him could range from counseling to more formal discipline, Robertson said.