Bank of America in Prescott - Anti-Gun Branch Manager

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I had an incident at the Bank of America off of Willow Creek Rd up in Prescott a while back. I went in to withdrawal some money, wearing my sidearm, and the little hippie chick (blond girl, don't recall her name) told me it was Illegal to carry a gun into a bank because it is federally regulated, and therefore is the same as a federal building. And that if I returned I would be asked to leave. As Iwalked out I did not see a No Firearms sign.

I went back to school (Yavapai College - Gunsmithing) and got the 'word' from my Sheriff bud, a few retired LEO's, and some instructors - and of course everyone agreed that this was bullshit. I called the branch and talked to the branch manager, a gal named Sharon Vaunais, who told me the same 'story' that the teller had. I explained that I had talked to my Sheriff bud and how he disagreed with what she was saying, and she responded by telling me "the Sheriff's Dept wont know these laws, only the Prescott Police Dept would know". Really chick??:banghead:

So I call the Prescott Police and was transferred to a guy, explained the situation and he put me on hold while he did a little law research. After about 10 mins or so he got back on the line, telling me that he and his LT found no such law, State or Federal, regarding firearms being prohibited in banks. The only gun anything he found was that it is ok to place a firearm inside a safety deposit box - good to know I guess.

So thinking this was a Bank of America thing, I called around - the other B of A's in the Prescott area, as well the one I frequent on the west side. They all agreed that firearms are not a problem - and that this branch manager was forcing her own agenda.

I filed a complaint with B of A - not sure if it did anything.

However I asked my wife (Banker with Wells Fargo) to ask around and see what her co workers had officially heard regarding firearms - the only thinggun related was that I guess one of them had been reprimanded before when asking a gun dude to leave (pro gun company I guess)....so lets hope I get the same with this.

I am going to call theRegional Manager tomorrow and see if I am going to be given a hard time again- as I need to conduct business there soon. Lets see what happens.......

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The little hippy chick was pushing her agenda. I OC at he B of A in Warren, AZ ( 5 mile south of Bisbee) all the time. Never so much as a side long glance.



Steve

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If I recall, the BofA in Presoctt Valley is posted 'no firearms'. Wells Fargo in PV has no problems with it.

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Hm. Looks like I need to make a nuisance of myself tomorrow. I'll have to double-check the BoA in PV, then make sure I'm wearing the 1911 when I go to the Willow Creek Branch.

Ahh...should be fun. I've been little cranky lately anyway.

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Where i live i OC in the Bank of America every few days when i go to cash a check, never had a problem before, no signs anywhere and no one even seemed to really care.

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Wells-Fargo in Marana (closest bank within 20 miles) has never batted an eye when I carry in there. (I always carry)

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Thats strange. I carry at Prescott banks all the time (usually Chase or Wells Fargo) and nobody gives me any trouble. Actually one guy at the Chase at Frys on Willow Creek asked me what gun I bought when he saw my credit card statement! Sounds like a Kali mover pushing their agenda.

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They are full of it. The BoA on Ray Rd. is not posted and I have OC'ed there before. Also the BoA in Sierra Vista could care less.

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Well, just got back from my OC excursion to BoA in Prescott Valley and on Willow Creek Rd. in Prescott.

No signs in the PV branch -- walked in, waltzed around, picked up a couple of brochures, talked to one of their people about accounts -- nobody batted an eye re: the 1911.

Did the same at the WC branch in Prescott. Had a nice long chat with a girl named Jennifer regarding various accounts, etc. No negative response there either.

I decided not to "stir the pot" by asking about firearms policies, since the other incident had been fairly recent. By the reaction (or, more correctly, non-reaction) I received in the Prescott branch, it seems that someone must have "edjumacated" them on the legality of OC and banks in AZ.

Just FYI, everyone.

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maybe the blonde chick was a newbie moved to AZ from CA...lol

im in Sierra Vista also...never a problem here at any banks or retail stores

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Pistol-Packing-Preacher-in-PV wrote:
I decided not to "stir the pot" by asking about firearms policies[/quote]

Good call. That is one of the "rules".. We never "ask". Another "rule" if asked to leave, we never say "well then you should put up a sign!"

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I've corrected a few people, bank employees and LEO's. They seem to think FDIC insurance makes them a federal building, which is nowhere near true. Here's the federal law.


TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 44 > §930
§930. Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities
1111, 1112, 1113, and 1117. (d) Subsection (a) shall not apply to— (1) the lawful performance of official duties by an officer, agent, or employee of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision thereof, who is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of any violation of law; (2) the possession of a firearm or other dangerous weapon by a Federal official or a member of the Armed Forces if such possession is authorized by law; or (3) the lawful carrying of firearms or other dangerous weapons in a Federal facility incident to hunting or other lawful purposes. (e) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a Federal court facility, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both. (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to conduct which is described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (d). (f) Nothing in this section limits the power of a court of the United States to punish for contempt or to promulgate rules or orders regulating, restricting, or prohibiting the possession of weapons within any building housing such court or any of its proceedings, or upon any grounds appurtenant to such building. (g) As used in this section: (1) The term “Federal facility” means a building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties. (2) The term “dangerous weapon” means a weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, animate or inanimate, that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury, except that such term does not include a pocket knife with a blade of less than 21/2 inches in length. (3) The term “Federal court facility” means the courtroom, judges’ chambers, witness rooms, jury deliberation rooms, attorney conference rooms, prisoner holding cells, offices of the court clerks, the United States attorney, and the United States marshal, probation and parole offices, and adjoining corridors of any court of the United States. (h) Notice of the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal facility, and notice of subsection (e) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal court facility, and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (a) or (e) with respect to a Federal facility if such notice is not so posted at such facility, unless such person had actual notice of subsection (a) or (e), as the case may be.

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Here is a similar incident from 2004:

Last Friday, I went to the AEA credit union in Yuma, to answer a letter they had sent about my account. I was standing in line when Teresa ********* came up to me and asked if I was a policeman. I was carrying my Glock 17 in a Fobus paddle holster, openly, as I often do, which, it became clear, is why she asked the question.
I said that "No, I am not a policeman.", upon which she said that I wasn't allowed in the credit union because it was a financial institution. I replied that people were not barred from carrying guns in financial institutions in Arizona, and that I had carried them into such institutions dozens of times without a problem. She said that no, she didn't think that was correct, because, well, they were so concerned about them that they even took toy guns away from children who wanted to play with them in the area for children inside the credit union. I said that such a policy was insane.
I told her that I had not seen a sign prohibiting guns; that it was not illegal for a person to have a gun in a financial institution; and that the credit union could post such a sign and then be willing to check guns for people who they did not want to have guns in the credit union. I also said that if the credit union made this its policy, that I would have to look for another financial institution. I urged her to check on the law. She said that she would, and I stayed in line while she went to her desk.
Five minutes later, she came back, apologised profusely, and said that she had been mistaken: the credit union had no such policy, the law was as I said it was, and that she had made a mistake.
I replied that she was simply doing what she thought was correct, and that I very much appreciated her willingness to take the time to check things out. She said that she and her husband had guns, and went shooting in the desert, but she had just assumed that they were illegal in financial institutions. I applauded her courage in asking me when she saw that I was armed, and told her that the studies that exist show that the credit union is a safer place when there are armed citizens in it. I said that bank robbers are not going to come in carrying openly, and they will pay attention if they see armed citizens. I mentioned that I teach the concealed carry course, so I am fairly familiar with the law on this subject.
So, everyone ended up happy, congratulations were passed all about, and a couple of days later I sent off a letter to the credit union thanking them for the fine behaviour of Teresa. I said that I was glad that I had selected them as my credit union.
This seemed a microcosm of the secondary battle that we are involved in. A primary goal of the anti-freedom types is to marginalize the exercise of freedom, particularily the use of arms. This lady had guns, and even shot them, but was surprised to know that you could exercise the freedom of actually bearing them. Those in the OldDominantLiberalMedia had done a good job of convincing her that this is something that "just isn't done". Now she knows differently. She is head of customer relations at her credit union, and I hope that my little act of courtesy with the letter will be used as an example of how to deal with customers, thus educating the rest of the staff.

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I'd ask her for a copy of the law....

Or if she was a federal employee...

I swear...I want to know where bank = federal facility started and beat that person

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SIGguy229 wrote:

I'd ask her for a copy of the law....

Or if she was a federal employee...

I swear...I want to know where bank = federal facility started and beat that person

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What I was going to say above is that there is No Federal Law prohibiting carrying a gun into a bank. None. It doesn't exist. And...a bank is NOT a federal facility.

I should know. I work for FDIC. The clueless bonehead that told) you a bank (which is a private company) is a federal facility, is a clueless bonehead. Having insurance does not make you a federal facilty. If that were true, then every car insured by GEICO (since GEICO stands for Government Employees Insurance Company) would also be a federal facility.

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ccwinstructor wrote:

Teresa *********

Click to expand...

Whay are you blocking out her name? maybe I want to write her?

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She did the right thing and I did not wish to expose her to attention that she might not want.

Remember, this occured about six year ago, in 2004.

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Wow, you handled that situation perfectly!

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Thank you, Chez. I thought it worked out rather well. A lot of people have laid the groundwork for the sucess that we are now having. 35 years ago, many felt as if it was certain that we would lose our rights and go down the pitiful path of England.

I thought about it, and decided that I could not live with myself if I didn't fight. I have been fighting ever since, and it is most gratifying to see us winning bigger and bigger fights. I think 1994 was the turning point. Some future generation may write that the revolution of the 1994 election is what ultimately preserved freedom in America.