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Email from Seatacs City Prosecuting

A

Aaron1124

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*Prosecutor

Mr. Braun,

I checked with our local police department, and I was advised that we currently do not have a designated lock box that is specifically used for safekeeping of weapons while a person is conducting business in our building.

However, pursuant to RCW 9.41.300 (b) it says that the City should provide a designated area for such requests. But because we are not equipped for it at this time, the police told me that IF it is absolutely necessary for you to bring your weapon while you conduct your business in the City Hall, they could receive and keep your weapon for you in the SeaTac police station. They will just need notice ahead of time. You can contact them at 973-4900. They will keep it in the precinct’s weapon’s safety box.

On the other hand, I would like to suggest a couple of things for you to consider:
1. If you would consider keeping your weapon at home before you conduct your business in the City Hall.
2. Pursuant to RCW 9.41.050(2)(a)(iii), you can legally keep your weapon in your vehicle while you are not in the vehicle so long as you have a secured lock container for it and it is concealed from view from outside the vehicle.

I hope this answers your question.


Sincerely,

Cindy Corsilles
SeaTac Prosecutor
 
A

Aaron1124

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I decided to email a few municipal courts regarding the storage of a firearm while conducting legal business at the court, and to my surprise, many of them don't even have a lock box or area of storage inside the court facility like the RCW Specifically states.

I believe Seatacs Police Department is a separate building from the court, so technically it would still be a violation, considering RCW 9.41.300 reads

"In addition, the local legislative authority shall provide either a stationary locked box sufficient in size for pistols and key to a weapon owner for weapon storage, or shall designate an official to receive weapons for safekeeping, during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building. The locked box or designated official shall be located within the same building used in connection with court proceedings. The local legislative authority shall be liable for any negligence causing damage to or loss of a weapon either placed in a locked box or left with an official during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building"

When City Council holds their meetings, are they even shown Washington Statutes? It surprises me that so many municipalities completely disregard this one in particular.
 
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joeroket

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Jeeze. They can't get anything right. 9.41.050 does not require a pistol to be kept in a locked container.

I would push the issue with her as you pointed out they are required to have a designated person in the same building as the courts.
 
S

Statkowski

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From an outsider (Pennsylvania):

Wow! A state prosecutor wrote that? She writes that the city should provide. There's a big difference between should and must, the former being optional and the latter not. Here's what subsection (b) actually states:
(b) Those areas in any building which are used in connection with court proceedings, including courtrooms, jury rooms, judge's chambers, offices and areas used to conduct court business, waiting areas, and corridors adjacent to areas used in connection with court proceedings. The restricted areas do not include common areas of ingress and egress to the building that is used in connection with court proceedings, when it is possible to protect court areas without restricting ingress and egress to the building. The restricted areas shall be the minimum necessary to fulfill the objective of this subsection (1)(b).

For purposes of this subsection (1)(b), "weapon" means any firearm, explosive as defined in RCW 70.74.010, or any weapon of the kind usually known as slung shot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or any knife, dagger, dirk, or other similar weapon that is capable of causing death or bodily injury and is commonly used with the intent to cause death or bodily injury.

In addition, the local legislative authority shall provide either a stationary locked box sufficient in size for pistols and key to a weapon owner for weapon storage, or shall designate an official to receive weapons for safekeeping, during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building. The locked box or designated official shall be located within the same building used in connection with court proceedings. The local legislative authority shall be liable for any negligence causing damage to or loss of a weapon either placed in a locked box or left with an official during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building.

The local judicial authority shall designate and clearly mark those areas where weapons are prohibited, and shall post notices at each entrance to the building of the prohibition against weapons in the restricted areas;
Click to expand...

In short, they are required to provide either lockboxes or designate someone to accept storage thereof. No need to make an appointment or call ahead. State law requires they provide - end of discussion.

Such storage facilities must be located in the same building as the court facility.

Time for you West Coasters to press the issue, just like we've done here in Pennsylvania.
 
A

Aaron1124

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Something is telling me that this isn't the only city/county whom their officials don't provide a safe keeping of firearms for visitors.

I'm still waiting on a few replies from a few other jurisdictions.

So far King County Superior Court and Des Moines Municipal Court have both informed me that they do have a designated lock box or official to keep the weapon.

Is the City Council just not aware of the law? Or do they just disregard it, assuming no one is going to complain?
 
J

joeroket

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Aaron1124 wrote:
Something is telling me that this isn't the only city/county whom their officials don't provide a safe keeping of firearms for visitors.

I'm still waiting on a few replies from a few other jurisdictions.

So far King County Superior Court and Des Moines Municipal Court have both informed me that they do have a designated lock box or official to keep the weapon.

Is the City Council just not aware of the law? Or do they just disregard it, assuming no one is going to complain?
Click to expand...
They are aware of it now. My e-mail to the council members was forwarded to the city manager. I will give them a couple of weeks and if I do not hear back from them then I will contact them via phone and e-mail. If there is still no response I will have to go down to observe court proceedings.
 
kwiebe

kwiebe

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Laws have become merely rough guidelines. With few exceptions, laws are all part of "living documents," which are subject to interpretation. If a law is hard to satisfy, inconvenient, "unfair," "impractical," etc., then it's thrown back on the citizen. In this case, "can't you just leave your weapon in the car/at home?"

We are in an era in which we as law-abiding and law-respecting citizens are having the rug pulled right out from under our feet. It will get a lot worse before it gets better, imo.
 
J

joeroket

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kwiebe wrote:
Laws have become merely rough guidelines. With few exceptions, laws are all part of "living documents," which are subject to interpretation. If a law is hard to satisfy, inconvenient, "unfair," "impractical," etc., then it's thrown back on the citizen. In this case, "can't you just leave your weapon in the car/at home?"

We are in an era in which we as law-abiding and law-respecting citizens are having the rug pulled right out from under our feet. It will get a lot worse before it gets better, imo.
Click to expand...
Fortunately the law in this case is pretty clear cut.
 
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