Who is the Harbormaster of the City of Hopewell...

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and why is he so special?

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§ 18.2-308. Personal protection; carrying concealed weapons; when lawful to carry[/align]

4. Conservators of the peace, except that an attorney for the Commonwealth or assistant attorney for the Commonwealth may carry a concealed handgun pursuant to subdivision B 9. However, the following conservators of the peace shall not be permitted to carry a concealed handgun without obtaining a permit as provided in subsection D hereof: (a) notaries public; (b) registrars; (c) drivers, operators or other persons in charge of any motor vehicle carrier of passengers for hire; or (d) commissioners in chancery;

5. Noncustodial employees of the Department of Corrections designated to carry weapons by the Director of the Department of Corrections pursuant to § 53.1-29; and

6. Harbormaster of the City of Hopewell.

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The HarborMaster at Hopewell is pretty much an "historical" office. There are no commercial ports in Hopewell anymore, but in the distant past, it was a major "through-port" supplying Richmond. There is a 25-foot deep channel up the James river that was dredged specfically to keep shipping traffic open between Hopewell and Richmond sometime in the 1800's.

I've scoured the Hopewell municipal website, and can't find the name of the current full-time Harbormaster, but there is a note that Jerry Stokes is the current "Temp. Harbor Master"

http://www.hopewellva.gov/data/publish/article_145.shtml

I assume that is is because of the historic significance of this office that the Harbormaster was given special privilege for carrying firearms. Before trains and trucks, any good that were headed for Richmond from other parts of the country (or the world) probably came up the James River, and needed to be guarded and secured.

Just another one of those old, dusty laws that probably doesn't have any practical purpose anymore, but nobody has taken the time to remove from the books...

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I don't really see the point. Even if the current Harbormaster happens to like to carry concealed, he or she would have to carry proof that they were indeed the current Harbormastor of the City of Hopewell anyway, so if you have to do that, why not just get the silly CHP?

I wonder if anyone would even protest an attempt to remove this from the code?

TFred

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I seem to remember someone telling me one time that this had to do with the idea of German U-boats sneaking in to Hopewell during WW II.

I know, silly as it is, but I recall someone telling me that with some degree of certainty....been alot of years though.

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Grapeshot can probably fill you in. He was probably there when the bill was wrote.

:lol: