News Tribune - Pierce County Courthouse acknowledges it must secure open carrier's guns

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http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/14/1225959/courthouses-new-security-plan.html

SNIP

Pierce County Courthouse’s new security plan delayed

Pierce: Restricted-items ban may buck state law

Pierce County has put a new courthouse security plan on hold because it might run afoul of state law.


Tougher screening procedures were slated to take effect Wednesday.

. . .

For a time last week, it appeared the new Pierce County plan might get shot down over gun-handling procedures.

Firearms rights activists debated the issue online when an item about it was posted on thenewstribune.com’s Lights & Sirens blog. The original announcement from the county said the new screening rules wouldn’t affect “procedures applicable to citizens who possess valid concealed weapons permits.”

That left out people who openly carry weapons in a state that allows citizens to have handguns strapped to their hips, some said.

The subject also drew the attention of County Council Chairman Roger Bush, who said during a Tuesday study session that he worried about the policy’s legality regarding firearms.

County spokesman Hunter George said the rules had been misstated; Dorman gave assurances the new procedures would be “in full compliance” with state law.

Bush said he was satisfied with the gun lockup plans.

. . .

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The Revised Code of Washington 9.41.300 says:

(1) It is Unlawful... to enter... with a Weapon

(b) The areas of any Building used in Court Proceedings..., provided; that such areas do not include the common areas..., or the areas of ingress or egress.

***The information below is straight from the Code.***

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.

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Looks like writing a few emails and phone calls to the politicians works.

:monkey

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Good work and big thanks to all who spoke up.
:celebrate

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gogodawgs wrote:

Looks like writing a few emails and phone calls to the politicians works.

:monkey

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Nice work gogodawgs. Thanks.

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olypendrew wrote:

gogodawgs wrote:

Looks like writing a few emails and phone calls to the politicians works.

:monkey

Click to expand...

Nice work gogodawgs. Thanks.

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I also am going to be at the courthouse and speak with someone from the county executives office tomorrow as well as attend and speak at the county council meeting. Should be a fun time.

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Here is the latest follow up by the Tacoma News Tribune. I also am playing phone tag with Al Rosen from the County Executives office to get some additional clarification. Furthermore, I will be at the County Council meeting today at 3pm to speak and make sure that it is on the record.

Story


Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy asked State Rep. Chris Hurst (D-Enumclaw) Monday to study a state law requiring county officials to take knives and other dangerous weapons into safekeeping while their owners visit courthouses.

In the meantime, a safety committee is reviewing plans to increase security at the county's three courthouses in compliance with state law, McCarthy said.

County officials announced earlier this month they would no longer hold Mace, knives, clubs, flammable liquids, toy guns or replicas, handcuffs or handcuff keys and a long list of other objects for visitors.

There is an exception, under state law, for guns, which can be checked at the door. But that exception also applies to other kinds of weapons.

It's long been a practice to receipt guns, knives and similar items that are banned from the courthouse and allow their owners to retrieve them on the way out.

The county's new security procedures were designed to increase courthouse safety and make the visitor screening process less costly and more efficient, McCarthy said.

People entering the busy County-City Building in Downtown Tacoma and other courthouses are subject to airport-style scrutiny, which includes walking through a metal detector and putting your bags on an X-ray machine conveyor belt.

You can read about courthouse screening procedures here.



The new rules were to take effect on Wednesday.

But McCarthy put the plan on hold indefinitely and ordered more study after The News Tribune pointed out that state law - RCW 9.41.300 - directs officials to "receive weapons for safekeeping, during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building."

That portion of the Revised Code of Washington defines weapons as "any firearm, explosive (as defined in another part of the law), or any weapon of the kind usually known as slung shot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or any knife, dagger, dirk, or similar weapon that is capable of causing death or bodily injury and is commonly used with the intent to cause death or bodily injury."

The county doesn't intend to run afoul of state law but it does want to make the courthouse safe, and officials believe visitors ought to leave weapons in their cars or at home when they have business at the County-City Building or any other court facility, security manager Mike Dorman said last week.

The County-City Building houses Superior, Municipal, District and family courts as well as a number of other legal services. It's also home to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and it's the seat of Pierce County government.

The county also runs a Juvenile Court at Remann Hall and a District Court at South 96th and South Hosmer streets.

Hurst couldn't be reached for comment this morning. He is a former police detective who often champions public safety issues in the Legislature.

McCarthy said Monday evening she hopes people visiting courthouses will use common sense when visiting and not arrive with items that are banned from the buildings and must be left at the door.


Read more: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/street/2010/06/15/pierce-county-studies-courthouse-security-leaves-new-weapons-policy-on-hold-for-now/#ixzz0qwvVowMT

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Now if we can just get them to acknowledge that they are prohibited by law from requiring a CPL or ID to check a weapon, and required to surrender the key of the lock-box to the weapon owner.

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Phssthpok wrote:

Now if we can just get them to acknowledge that they are prohibited by law from requiring a CPL or ID to check a weapon, and required to surrender the key of the lock-box to the weapon owner.

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I am working on changing that. They also return my firearm, action open, unloaded, ALL rounds removed from the magazine, in two brown paper bags and instructed to not load it in public.

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Me speaking at the Pierce County Council meeting yesterday...

(fast forward to the 72:12 time)

http://www.piercecountytv.org/cfapps/council/iview/councilMeeting.cfm?meeting_dt=6/15/2010%203:00%20PM

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That portion of the Revised Code of Washington defines weapons as "any firearm, explosive (as defined in another part of the law), or any weapon of the kind usually known as slung shot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or any knife, dagger, dirk, or similar weapon that is capable of causing death or bodily injury and is commonly used with the intent to cause death or bodily injury."

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I wonder if the Pierce County Sheriff's Department will arrest people for checking knives or other 'weapons' that are prohibited by County, city, or state laws. I have no idea what the maximum allowable length for a concealed folding knife is in Tacoma, but I'm sure my 4¼" SOG is probably not gonna make it.

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Mr. gogodawgs,

You are well spoken, articulate, and a proficientpublic speaker. You sir, are a fine example of a Private citizen looking for answers. Thank you for your time and effort !

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USMC1911 wrote:

Mr. gogodawgs,

You are well spoken, articulate, and a proficientpublic speaker. You sir, are a fine example of a Private citizen looking for answers. Thank you for your time and effort !

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Thank you, you are very kind. I was very nervous and my mouth was dry that night. I have in the past been a very good public speaker and need to rekindle my skills and do more of this type of activism.

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Does anyone else have an issue trying to play the video in Firefox? When I click on the video, it just goes away....

The Googles....

Using the FF that doesn't work, go to this page, which is the Adobe Flash Player version check:
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_15507
If you don't have at least 9,0,124,0 installed, then upgrade the Adobe Flash Player from the link on that page. It will also test the installation after it is installed.


Ok, that still didn't fix my issue.....