B737 captain reported an exterior door handle was not properly secured during pre-flight checks.

Attributes
ACN	1703215
Time
Date	201911
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Exterior Pax/Crew Door
Person 1
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 139 Flight Crew Total 14500 Flight Crew Type 3600
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

During the exterior walk around; the exterior door handle for door 1R was not in the proper closed position. After the walk around; I asked the flight attendants if they were catered in ZZZ; and they replied that they were not. I told them that the exterior door handle was not in the closed position. They replied that they did hear an unusual noise coming from door 1R shortly after the sterile cockpit chime sounded during climbout. I asked if there was any loud squeal or an air rushing noise coming from the door during the flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ. They said they did not hear either. I had the ramp crew re-secure the door latch in the proper position. At no point while at the gate did the fwd service door light illuminate while the door was closed. During the initial climb out from ZZZ; the pressurization was normal and no door lights were illuminated. Upon arriving at ZZZ1; I had the ramp personnel check the door handle on door 1R and it was still in the proper closed position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain reported an exterior door handle was not properly secured during pre-flight checks.

Narrative: During the exterior walk around; the exterior door handle for door 1R was not in the proper closed position. After the walk around; I asked the flight attendants if they were catered in ZZZ; and they replied that they were not. I told them that the exterior door handle was not in the closed position. They replied that they did hear an unusual noise coming from door 1R shortly after the sterile cockpit chime sounded during climbout. I asked if there was any loud squeal or an air rushing noise coming from the door during the flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ. They said they did not hear either. I had the ramp crew re-secure the door latch in the proper position. At no point while at the gate did the FWD SERVICE door light illuminate while the door was closed. During the initial climb out from ZZZ; the pressurization was normal and no door lights were illuminated. Upon arriving at ZZZ1; I had the ramp personnel check the door handle on door 1R and it was still in the proper closed position.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.