Pierce County Court Building
Greetings all, I’ve been a board lurker for a few months and have learned a lot so I want to share my experience to get everyone’s feedback.
I had the opportunity on Friday (August 27) to try out Pierce County’s handling of someone showing up CC. My wife and I parked on the backside, 2nd floor of the county building and as I was in line I flagged down a Sergeant and told him that I needed to “Declare” and was displaying my concealed carry license. He had me walk back outside to the alcove and wait in the corner while he went to get the paperwork and a container for me.
He asked where I was carrying and if it was ok for him to remove my weapon, which I agreed to. He was very polite and professional during the entire encounter. On the paperwork I had to sign was my name and date and to acknowledge that my weapon and any magazines or speed loaders were going to be unloaded. When I was ready to leave they would bring my property back to me in a brown paper bag. I was then given a plastic card with a number and a brief summary of what was on the paperwork (no I forgot to get a copy). The Sergeant then had me walk with him over to a locked room/office where he attached my CCL to the paperwork and bundled it with my belongings. He then told me when I’m done to let the private security company working the entry/exit to know and they would page someone to come down and retrieve my items.
When I was done and approached security I told him I needed an officer to retrieve my property he looked at the card and answered “oh you got a gun to pick up” I then repeated that it was ‘property’ to be picked up.
After waiting in the alcove corner, another officer arrived and brought a brown paper bag with all my items inside. We did a quick inventory of all the items (everything was there) and he reminded me about not loading the firearm until I was in my vehicle and to be discrete about it so not to alarm anyone (I don’t remember his exact words). He then offered to escort me to the car; I declined.
As I was thinking over my experience I did learn a couple of things:
1. Get copies of the form
a. Do they keep the form, if so how long, or is it destroyed when I leave?
2. The names of the officers who helped me.
a. I think they had to sign the form both times.
3. Would the same escort offer be given if I was parked some distance from the building since parking is so bad downtown? What if I was riding the bus?
The only error that the county may have made was they didn’t give me a key or a lockbox to keep the weapon in. They (officers) had electronic keys to access the room which I was not offered to enter. I don’t know if they checked my name or anything while they had my property.
So there it is, I look forward to hearing any comments (good or bad) so we can all learn together. It maybe a few days before I can get back to any comments.
