Paddock Lake trustees debate concealed carry ban in Village Hall

Photo by Cathy Kaplan via stock.xchng

Paddock Lake trustees had a spirited debate about whether to ban carrying a concealed firearm by members of the public in Village Hall.

The issue was introduced by Trustee Chris Bucko, chairman of the police and public safety committee, in the  wake of the recent signing into state law of a concealed carry bill, which will go into effect next year.

The state law allows an exemption to allowing concealed carry for police stations and  courtrooms when court is in session. Bucko suggested that that might exempt Village Hall from allowing concealed carry because part of it is used by sheriff’s deputies as a substation and municipal court is held in the meeting room. But village attorney Jeff Davison said he thought that would be a difficult argument to make for exempting the whole building.

Under the state law, a municipality also can post signs signs that concealed carry of firearms is not allowed in its buildings.

Bucko said she raised the issue in consideration of office staff. Trustee Barbara Brenner said she understood that staff might feel intimidated by allowing concealed carry in the office.

“Why can’t they leave it in their car when they come in to pay their sewer bill?” asked Brenner, whose husband is the municipal judge.

Trustee Joe Riesselmann, acting as chairman in village President Marlene Goodson’s absence, attacked that thinking as penalizing law abiding citizens.

“The bad guy’s got the gun anyway,” Riesselmann, a former village police officer, said. “That’s the one you’ve got to be afraid of…:”

Trustee Karen Harris expressed a similar opinion.

“If it’s conccealed, you’re going to carry it in whether you have a sign or not,” Harris said.

Davisson raised the issue of not allowing village employees to carry a firearm while on duty, citing some employee rleations that the village has seen within the last 10 years as a reasons for considering the move.

Riesselmann said he didn’t object to village employees carrying a gun while at work.

“It’d be kind of cool to have someone up trimming a tree with a six shooter on his hip,” Riesselmann said.

The issue was deferred back to committee for further consideration.

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  1. Outdoorsman says:

    The bill actually goes into effect on Nov. 1st 2011, which is when the D.O.J. will start to accept applications, but some are saying that the actual permits might not be available until Dec. or Jan. 2012

    I know of no exemptons to allow carry in police stations or courtrooms… some government buildings yes, within the 1000 ft. school zone, and concealed in a bar but not allowed to drink alcohol), state parks, etc. All with the permit. I could go on and on, but won’t.

    Some might not be aware that “open carry” (firearm must be holstered and visible) is and always has been legal in WI, I myself am an open carrier and have carried many times in the Walgreens on Hwy’s 50 and 75, the grocery store in Paddock Lake, and the large (nice) resturant in Paddock Lake… all without any problems.. (except once someone saw me walking to my car in the Walgeens parking lot, flagged down a Kenosha County Sheriff. reported that I had a loaded gun in my car (which I did not), got pulled over in the grocery store parking lot, officer confirmed by checking that all was legal and we shook hands as I proceeded into the store with my loaded firarm holstered on my hip…

    Outdoorsman

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