Des Moines, Henry and Lee counties are considering banning weapons within their control:
Regarding the Des Moines County Courthouse, Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone, a vocal opponent of the new law, said he will meet with supervisors today to discuss security options at the North Main Street building.Does that include law enforcement personnel?
"I encourage anyone coming in the courthouse not to come armed," he said.
Lee County Sheriff Jim Sholl said he's not planning any adjustments in Lee County's courthouses in Keokuk and Fort Madison.And Henry county?
"I know our county attorney is prepared to propose an ordinance before the board which basically states no weapons on county property or on county buildings," Sholl said.
In Henry County, Sheriff Allen Wittmer said he and his deputies make periodic runs to the courthouse to check security. As far as making adjustments, he shares the opinions of Johnstone and Sholl.I wonder why there is such hostility towards regular common folk by the Des Moines county sheriff:
"I urge (the board of supervisors) to talk to the county attorney and get some guidance from him on what could or could not be done," Wittmer said.
"There is a law against intimidating public officials or creating disturbance inside a public building," Johnstone said. "There's going to be discussions across the state regarding this (possible ordinances.)"
2 comments:
Instead of rendering county employees defenseless on the job,why not mount a campaign to have all workers in couthouses go through training to qualify for a carry permit? It would be in the best interest of the communities to make courthouses very unappealing to would-be murderers.
I've thought that most county employees are part of the problem, but I didn't think of them as a group of citizens these sheriffs would prevent from exercising their rights. Instead of whining about losing their "authoritah", they should be embracing the new law.
Hmmm.
I don't think Johnstone and these other sheriffs realize the protection mere citizens could provide as a civic duty for those judges and courthouse employees.
And at a cheaper cost.
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