TROY – City police officers were angered Friday when they were told that the state was forbidding them from wearing their department-issued guns when they testified at the Rensselaer County Court trial of a veteran detective sergeant accused of covering up an illegal search, union and department officials said Monday.

“The members of the PBA were infuriated with such an order and felt disrespected to say the least. It is OK for us to carry our guns and protect the residents of Troy, but we are not trusted to carry our guns inside a courtroom?” said Officer Nick Laviano, president of the Troy Police Benevolent Association.

Officers are expected to testify at the trial of Sgt. Ronald Epstein, who is charged in a 12-count indictment of trying to hide a warrantless search of a drug house at 112 Oakwood Ave. by the department’s undercover drug unit in 2017. Epstein allegedly filed a false burglary report about the incident. The unit’s official name was the Firearms Interdiction and Narcotics Suppression Unit.

The trial began Monday before acting State Supreme Court Justice Peter A. Lynch of Albany. Epstein is supposed to retire Tuesday after submitting his retirement papers, officials said Tuesday.

Police Chief Brian Owens said he was surprised when a court officer from the state Office of Court Administration contacted him to tell him about the order barring Troy’s police officers from being armed in the courtroom.

“I never heard of this before in my career. We require them to be armed when on duty,” Owens said about the 128-member force.

Troy officers, State Police troopers and other departments' officers are routinely seen wearing their service weapons when called to testify.

Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka, the special prosecutor for the case, said he only learned about the order when he walked into the Rensselaer County Court House Monday morning for the start of jury selection.

Epstein is represented by defense attorney Michael L. Koenig of Albany.

Owens said OCA contacted him Monday to say officers on duty could wear their firearms.

“Any police officer who is at court in their official capacity and in uniform does not have any restrictions regarding their sidearm,” said Lucian Chalfen, an OCA spokesman.

“The issue revolves around other officers, either off duty or in plain clothes, who would be in the audience carrying a concealed weapon. For the safety and security of all participants, should anything unforeseen occur, having unidentifiable individuals with weapons is the concern,” Chalfen said.

Epstein and retired Detective John A. Comitale Jr. were indicted by a county grand jury earlier this year. Lynch split the case into two trials with Comitale's trial scheduled to begin Nov. 13. Lynch dismissed two counts – second-degree criminal facilitation, a felony, and fourth-degree criminal facilitation, a misdemeanor – in July on defense motions. These charges were for not seizing cocaine found in the Oakwood Avenue residence.

Epstein and Comitale each face misdemeanor counts of second-degree criminal trespass for entering the apartment and official misconduct for their intent "to conceal their unauthorized and unlawful entry into 112 Oakwood Avenue."

Epstein also was indicted on four additional felony counts including third-degree bribery, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and two counts of first degree falsifying business records, for the police report to allegedly cover up what happened. And he was indicted on six other misdemeanors, fourth-degree criminal mischief, two counts of official misconduct, two counts of second-degree falsifying business records, and second-degree offering a false instrument for filing.

Jury selection was halted Monday due to an outburst by a juror, court officials said. Lynch interviewed several jurors about the situation, officials said. Selection of a jury is to resume Tuesday.