Glendale, Arizona treats lawful gun owners as criminals

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John/az2

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An email from the AZRKBA list:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>This is my first post to this list. Thanks to Rick DeStephens for letting
me know of its existence. I was unaware of Saturday's gathering, and also
unaware of Glendale's weapons policy. Those signs are small.

I just got back from the downtown Glendale library. I have never read
_Unintended Consequences_, so I strapped on an exposed 1911 and headed to
the library to see if they have it (they don't). I carried my Officer's
ACP, as I didn't want an ignorant cop to wreck the trigger on my Gold Cup
by dropping the slide.

I walked up to the main entrance and waved at the librarian through the
door. She came to the door with a smile which turned to a grimace when I
told her I was carrying a pistol and needed the police to come check it per
the sign out front. She said she would call the police.

I waited out front for ~10 minutes, then a cop sneaked around the front of
the building and, with his hand on his holstered pistol, told me to hold my
hands out to my sides. I did, and told him I was the one who requested
they come check my weapon. He came around beside me and removed my pistol
from the holster and then patted me down. Legal Q: is voluntarily checking
a weapon legal grounds for a Terry search? When he cleared my pistol he
dropped a Hydrashok on the concrete. Thank you, officer.

Three officers showed up for this call. Several people across the street
outside of Bitzee Mama's gathered in a small crowd, wondering what was
going on. The cops weren't rude, but they were condescending. I was asked
why I brought a gun to the library, and why I didn't secure it in my
vehicle. I told them I wanted a receipt for my pistol, magazine and
ammunition -- kind of had to remind them to give me one. They walked me
across the street to a police car, requested my driver's license (which I
gave them), and they wrote me a receipt. Hey, the call even got a report
number! I might go look it up. One can get copies of police reports for a
fee.

Well, it didn't take long to find out the library didn't have the book I
wanted. When I left, the cops were huddled around a squad car shooting the
breeze (or conspiring how to get rid of pesky gunnies). I told them I was
through at the library, and I asked for my pistol. I signed for it, and
they returned it.

We need more armed library patrons. If Glendale insists on having this
asinine policy, let's use it regularly. With enough people checking
firearms, the PD will get tired of the policy and recommend the council
change it.

One note: The downtown Glendale library, Velma Teague, is located in
Murphy Park. I didn't see any signs prohibiting weapons in the park, but
take note that HB 2095 allows cities to limit carry in small parks to CCW
holders only. I have a CCW permit.

Anyone want to start a Glendale book club?[/quote]

From the protest October 21st 2000:
thesign.jpg


One guy wanted to check his knife. The police said that they needed to ask the librarian if she thought it was a "deadly weapon" that needed to be checked.

The law says that "the operator" of the building in question needs to secure the weapons.

Glendale claims that the librarian is NOT the operator.

So, the police needed to ask the librarian if the knife needed to be checked?

Ah, politics... :D


ernest.jpg



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John/az
"When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!

www.cphv.COM & www.handguncontrol.NET are being sued by Handgun Control, Inc.!

See the "cease and desist" letter here: www.cphv.com/lawsuit.html


[This message has been edited by John/az2 (edited October 23, 2000).]
 
Remember that my new activist-buddy, Jeff, checked his gun at the downtown Glendale library and was told, "Turn around. Put you hands on your head. You are not under arrest."

I wonder if the passersby thought this fifty-something gent was a criminal.

I called the Glendale Police Chief about the hand-on-head routine. He said he would look into it He has not gotten back to me. Perhaps he will call you back? Chief David Dobrotka's direct office number is 623-930-3051.

I would think that even out-of-staters might want to invest fifty cents on a call just to make sure he doens't come to your town.

Rick
 
Didn't notice this article posted elsewhere, so I'll copy it below ... re: our demonstration last Saturday. Note who showed up at the demonstration. ;) It was an inspired performance by Mr. 'Bowman', and I understand he did it with a straight face. ;)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/1022guns22.html

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Gun-rights advocates rally at Glendale library

Diana Balazs
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 22, 2000

About 35 gun-rights advocates rallied in front of a Glendale library Saturday to protest the city's policy on prohibiting weapons in its buildings.

The group is upset over the way Glendale is interpreting a state law that allows communities to ban weapons in public buildings, but says that if they do, they must offer to store the weapons.

In June, the city instituted a policy that has police officers checking in weapons. Before gun owners had to take their firearms home or keep them in their car. Now an owner must fill out a form that includes the gun's serial number. Once the person is done visiting say a library, he or she must pick the gun up from the police station.

Glendale resident Rick DeStephens, vice president of Brassroots, a personal rights group, said gun owners should be able to check in their weapons on the premises. "We're going to be using police officers' time to be ferrying these guns around," he said.

DeStephens said the form gun owners must fill out is nothing more than gun registration, which is prohibited by state law.

Several of the protesters tried to bring their weapons into the Velma Teague Library branch Saturday. But police had them check their weapons at the door.

Glendale spokesman Jerry McCoy said the city is only trying to protect its residents. He said librarians are not trained in handling weapons, which can accidentally discharge.

Henry Bowman, a retired electrical engineer from Morristown, said it's a shame that government doesn't trust its law-abiding citizens.

"But if at least if they are going to go down that route, they should at least accommodate the rights of the citizens. They should say, 'All right, we're going to put some lock boxes in here.' "[/quote]

Regards from AZ
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Glendale spokesman Jerry McCoy said the city is only trying to protect its residents. He said librarians are not trained in handling weapons, which can accidentally discharge.[/quote]

????????????

Why would the librarians be needing to handle the guns?

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"Anyone feel like saluting the flag which the strutting ATF and FBI gleefully raised over the smoldering crematorium of Waco, back in April of ‘93?" -Vin Suprynowicz
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>ARS-3102 A.10. Unless specifically authorized by law, entering any public establishment or attending any public event and carrying a deadly weapon on his person after a reasonable request by the operator of the establishment or the sponsor of the event or the sponsor's agent to remove his weapon and place it in the custody of the operator of the establishment or the sponsor of the event; or

[/quote]

Sounds like the librarian to me! :D

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John/az
"When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!

www.cphv.COM & www.handguncontrol.NET are being sued by Handgun Control, Inc.!

See the "cease and desist" letter here: www.cphv.com/lawsuit.html
 
Presumably, if they decided the comply with the letter and spirit of the law, they would provide lockboxes. That being the case, no one but the gun owner would actually need to touch the gun.

Any place I've had to check my gun, no one ever touched it but me.

(I know I'm just preaching to the converted here.)

[This message has been edited by deanf (edited October 23, 2000).]
 
Kind of makes you want to spend a lot of time at the local library.
 
John, Rick, Others Who Took Part,
Thank you for your efforts and for standing tall when it was needed. We know that in these instances many eyes are on the circumstances and the outcome. To accept the Glendale rules and do nothing leads to more of the same and the spread of more restrictions. I'm sure you conducted yourselves as good citizens and that is good for our image. In addition you have given others the courage to stand up for our rights. Thank you. Jerry
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeff Thomas:
But if at least if they are going to go down that route, they should at least accommodate the rights of the citizens. They should say, 'All right, we're going to put some lock boxes in here.' "[/quote]

How many criminals are going to put their guns in a lockbox?
 
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