A shoulder-fired missile from Iraq was turned over to police in Brooklyn Monday morning.

A concerned passer-by saw some children playing with the launcher — which did not contain a missile — and took it to the 62nd Precinct station house in Gravesend. The NYPD Bomb Squad was called, and determined the launcher was inoperable and did not present a danger, because once it is used, it cannot be reloaded and used again.

Police say an American soldier brought the weapon back from the war in Iraq and gave it to a friend, who ended up throwing it away. The children found it in the trash, police say.

Despite reassurances from the police, many area residents say the discovery is unsettling.

“That’s pretty bad. I don’t think the security is as good as it should be, at least over here, because there are too many people running in and out [of the precinct] too easily,” said one father who lives in the neighborhood. “That’s precious blood. That’s right around the corner where my daughter goes, and security could be better.”

“It’s scary because I live here and my kids are here, if it’s going to start happening again,” said another area resident. “I don’t understand who would do something like that.”

So far no charges have been filed against anyone in connection with the missile launcher.