COEUR d’ALENE — A student hunter who inadvertently left hunting equipment in his car parked on school grounds at Coeur d’Alene High School was charged Friday with possession of a weapon on school grounds.

The student told police he had forgotten to take the hunting rifle out of his car after hunting.

District spokesman Scott Maben said it is not the first time the district has been called to a hunter’s vehicle after someone reported a firearm.

“This comes up from time to time,” Maben said.

A similar incident occurred last spring at Lake City High School.

“We try to be consistent when it happens,” Maben said.

That means students who violate school policy regarding firearms — and the law — are turned over to police.

“There was no ill will, or threat,” Maben said. “But it’s against the law.”

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department along with Coeur d’Alene High School Administration interviewed the student, who is a juvenile, principal Libbi Barrett said in an email to parents and guardians.

A school policy that encourages students to use a tip line to report any firearms on school grounds alerted administrators, Barrett said.

“Today’s incident demonstrates the importance of this practice, and this student is to be commended for reporting to the anonymous tip line,” she said.

At no time were students or staff at risk, she said.

“Our security response worked as designed,” Barrett said.