Sometimes you win quietly

I'm almost afraid to imagine what the unintended consequence of using the 'easy way' of including 'arena' in RCW 9.41.300.

"... Yer Honner, we petition for summary dismissal as we are an arena, not a stadium or convention center"

"... Y'Honner, we aren't an arena, stadium or convention center, we're an amphitheater, therefore we ask the civil suit be dismissed."

"... Hi again, Judge; yeah it's us again, we're not an arena, stadium, convention center or amphitheater, we're a Coliseum."

" ... we're a Dome, now Judge."

"... Sportsplex, Your Honor."

" ... Great Hall, Your Honor. How's the wife and kids?"

" ... Seattle Exhibition Hall. Getting married? L'il Suzy? I remember back when she was still crawlin' around in diapers. Back around Dome or SportsPlex, wasn't it?"

And then sometimes the unexpected happens.

https://ricochet.com/410659/spokane-sheriff-asked-disarm-entering-spokane-arena/

"I can understand if we are off duty, if there's liquor being sold there, I can understand that. But when you are on duty and representing the county at an event, I've just never heard anything like this," Sheriff Knezovich said, " Many, many of the active shooter type situations that happen in this nation have been stopped by off duty police officers carrying their weapons."

Bold is mine.


That is not how it works, that is not how any of it works. Maybe Ozzie needs a quick primer on gun laws in WA state also. Of course if he wants to subject his employees to those rules that is up to him, just don't expect them to cover everyone.


bob

Is the good Sheriff saying that his assigned place of duty for that night just happened to be at a charity hockey game?
Was his assignment to be an undercover ̶o̶f̶f̶i̶c̶e̶r̶ Deputy?

I'll be the first to agree that neither he, nor his Deputies, nor any law enforcement officer, nor any member of the public should be disarmed where state law permits them to be armed, but I suspect that's not the Sheriff's reasoning on why he should have been permitted to enter.

hadji said:

The law states:

RCW 9.41.300
Weapons prohibited in certain places—Local laws and ordinances—Exceptions—Penalty.
(2) Cities, towns, counties, and other municipalities may enact laws and ordinances:
(b) Restricting the possession of firearms in any stadium or convention center, operated by a city, town, county, or other municipality, except that such restrictions shall not apply to:
(i) Any pistol in the possession of a person licensed under RCW 9.41.070
​

The arena's legal counsel states that, since arenas are not mentioned in the above, they are exempt from the exception.

This thread indicates that the convention center policy has changed.

hadji

Click to expand...

We need to look at the legislative record and find the intent. I assume the intent was for any public building the public might attend so as not to be denied their right.

NavyLCDR said:

Ummmm....am I missing something here? If they are an "arena" and not a "stadium" and that exempts them from the requirement to exempt CPL holders.....doesn't that mean that it is against state law for them to prohibit firearms in the first place? According to state law, municipalities are only allowed to prohibit firearms in "stadiums" and "convention centers" to begin with.

Click to expand...

Yes and I think their attitude is to take them to court.....Chan v. Seattle

gogodawgs said:

Yes and I think their attitude is to take them to court.....Chan v. Seattle

Click to expand...

That sounds about right according to the last two sentences in this article:

http://www.kxly.com/news/local-news/spokane-arena-changes-policy-off-duty-officers-allowed-weapons/333574792