sevenplusone
Regular Member
imported post
I recently had an encounter that has me quite frustrated and I'm looking for advice. Upon doing some research I discovered this site, the county park website, etc. and I'm looking for advice on how to move forward. I'm new to this site so be nice .
The incident was as follows. I was walking with my wife and the fido in my local Kent County Park. I use at least three different county parks on a regular basis as they are very well kept, beautiful, clean, and offer nice trails for this purpose. It began getting warmer so I removed my sweatshirt. I have always been pretty casual about my concealed carry as I am aware that open-carry in Michigan is legal (although I'm even more confident after spending several hours on this site). I was doing my best to conceal my DW CBob in my IWB under the t-shirt. Apparently I was unable to do so as it was shortly after that I was approached by a man on a golf-cart. He identified himself as the park manager. He told us he had to ask us to leave as there were no weapons allowed in Kent County Parks. Apparently he had received a complaint from another user of the park. I told him I wasn't aware of any such rule and that it was never my intention to offend anybody. I did so calmly and very politely.He was very polite in return to myself and my family (pooch included). Shook our hands and I told him we were on our way out anyway. I didn't want to push the issue any further (at the time).
Needless to say I was outraged. I didn't appreciate the fact that in order to utilize the facilities at the park I had to forfeit a right to protect myself. Unacceptable. I began scouring their rules (cited/linked below).
I want to address this situation and do so properly. Any and all advice is welcome. I am willing to write letters, email, make phones calls, etc. What should the nature of the letters be, should I go back to the park with any sort of information and talk to the manager as I believe he would be receptive to a discussion (he admitted he was all for gun-rights and would carry at work if he could).
Kent County Parks Rule section 25:
[align=left]a. Violations or criminal offenses involving the transportation, possession, brandishing or discharge of pistols, other firearms, ammunition, or components of firearms on County park property shall be prosecuted in accordance with local ordinance or state law. Local ordinances shall be enforced by the appropriate local police department, unless that department has entered into an agreement with the County for a different scheme of enforcement. This subsection shall not apply to any duly sworn law enforcement officer. [/align]b. It shall be unlawful for any person to bring into or upon County park property, have in her or his possession on County park property, or brandish or discharge on County park property, any dangerous weapon other than those described in Section 25.a. above, without a written permit from the director. This subsection shall not apply to any duly sworn law enforcement officer.
[align=left]http://www.accesskent.com/YourGovernment/CountyClerk/pdfs/Parks_Ordinance.pdf[/align]
[align=left]I read this to mean their rules are in accordance with local ordinances/state law (thus allowing not only CPLs but also this would make open-carry perfectly legal), yet at the same time they forbid any weapons on the property.I had originally drafted a letter asking them to adjust their illegal ruledue to Michigan's preemption law to allow CPL holders to carry while in the park.However, now I wish to take it one step further and point out the entire law itself is in violation.Am I mistaken...I'm no lawyer?[/align]
I recently had an encounter that has me quite frustrated and I'm looking for advice. Upon doing some research I discovered this site, the county park website, etc. and I'm looking for advice on how to move forward. I'm new to this site so be nice .
The incident was as follows. I was walking with my wife and the fido in my local Kent County Park. I use at least three different county parks on a regular basis as they are very well kept, beautiful, clean, and offer nice trails for this purpose. It began getting warmer so I removed my sweatshirt. I have always been pretty casual about my concealed carry as I am aware that open-carry in Michigan is legal (although I'm even more confident after spending several hours on this site). I was doing my best to conceal my DW CBob in my IWB under the t-shirt. Apparently I was unable to do so as it was shortly after that I was approached by a man on a golf-cart. He identified himself as the park manager. He told us he had to ask us to leave as there were no weapons allowed in Kent County Parks. Apparently he had received a complaint from another user of the park. I told him I wasn't aware of any such rule and that it was never my intention to offend anybody. I did so calmly and very politely.He was very polite in return to myself and my family (pooch included). Shook our hands and I told him we were on our way out anyway. I didn't want to push the issue any further (at the time).
Needless to say I was outraged. I didn't appreciate the fact that in order to utilize the facilities at the park I had to forfeit a right to protect myself. Unacceptable. I began scouring their rules (cited/linked below).
I want to address this situation and do so properly. Any and all advice is welcome. I am willing to write letters, email, make phones calls, etc. What should the nature of the letters be, should I go back to the park with any sort of information and talk to the manager as I believe he would be receptive to a discussion (he admitted he was all for gun-rights and would carry at work if he could).
Kent County Parks Rule section 25:
[align=left]a. Violations or criminal offenses involving the transportation, possession, brandishing or discharge of pistols, other firearms, ammunition, or components of firearms on County park property shall be prosecuted in accordance with local ordinance or state law. Local ordinances shall be enforced by the appropriate local police department, unless that department has entered into an agreement with the County for a different scheme of enforcement. This subsection shall not apply to any duly sworn law enforcement officer. [/align]b. It shall be unlawful for any person to bring into or upon County park property, have in her or his possession on County park property, or brandish or discharge on County park property, any dangerous weapon other than those described in Section 25.a. above, without a written permit from the director. This subsection shall not apply to any duly sworn law enforcement officer.
[align=left]http://www.accesskent.com/YourGovernment/CountyClerk/pdfs/Parks_Ordinance.pdf[/align]
[align=left]I read this to mean their rules are in accordance with local ordinances/state law (thus allowing not only CPLs but also this would make open-carry perfectly legal), yet at the same time they forbid any weapons on the property.I had originally drafted a letter asking them to adjust their illegal ruledue to Michigan's preemption law to allow CPL holders to carry while in the park.However, now I wish to take it one step further and point out the entire law itself is in violation.Am I mistaken...I'm no lawyer?[/align]