BENTONVILLE -- Benton County justices of the peace opened talks Thursday over a proposal allowing elected officials and some employees to have concealed handguns in county office buildings.
The Legislative Committee considered allowing concealed carry of handguns at the committee's Thursday meeting. Pat Adams, justice of the peace for District 4, and Brent Meyers, justice of the peace for District 14, co-sponsored the ordinance. The panel voted to send the proposal to the Committee of the Whole.
Adams said he wants employees to be able to protect themselves.
"Any security can be breached," Adams said.
Arkansas law on concealed handguns prohibits concealed carry permit holders from carrying weapons in a number of places. The list begins with "any police station, sheriff's station, or Department of Arkansas State Police station" and includes highway police and Department of Transportation facilities and adjacent ground.
The list of prohibited places also includes "any courthouse, courthouse annex, or other building owned, leased or regularly used by a county for conducting court proceedings or housing a county office." The law provides exceptions for county employees, elected officials and justices of the peace if the Quorum Court approves a plan to allow the concealed carrying of handguns that is incorporated into the local security and emergency preparedness plan.
Planning regulations
Proposed changes in Benton County’s planning and land use regulations were reviewed Thursday by the Legislative Committee. The revisions will be considered by the justices of the peace at another Legislative Committee meeting or sent to the Committee of the Whole.
Source: Staff report
The law doesn't allow members of the public to have concealed handguns in any of the prohibited areas.
The proposal still lists as prohibited places "any place otherwise prohibited by federal or Arkansas law" along with a courtroom; a facility housing any operation of the Benton County Sheriff, including the jail; the Benton County Juvenile Detention Facility; any building owned or leased by Benton County in which circuit or district court proceedings are held; any state office on property owned or leased by Benton County; a school, college, community college or university event.
The proposal allowed elected officials and justices of the peace to have concealed handguns in other county facilities and employees "to the extent such is approved by the elected official for whom the employees work." The committee voted to delete that provision.
George Spence, county attorney, said he drafted the ordinance to reflect state law, including the exemptions. Spence added state law bars carrying concealed handguns in any meeting room of any governing entity, which might include the Quorum Court meeting room. That room is also sometimes used as a courtroom, Spence said, although that's not its only use, so it might fall under the exception for courtrooms.
"It's not simple," Spence said.
County Judge Barry Moehring had an email survey of employees regarding security concerns and concealed carrying of handguns in county building. Email messages were sent to 682 employees and responses received from 253 employees.
More than 72 percent of those who responded said they feel safe in their county building. About 45 percent said they would feel safer if their building had a metal detector and screening station and about 25 percent said they wouldn't feel safer in a building with metal detectors. Nearly 30 percent said they now work in a building with metal detectors. When asked about their preference for guns in the workplace, more than 36 percent said it should be limited to police officers/sheriff's deputies. Just under 40 percent said all employees should be allowed to have concealed weapons and about 11 percent said everyone entering a county building should be allowed to carry a concealed handgun.
This is an issue that's on the minds of the employees," Moehring said, adding the justices of the peace need to be mindful of employees' concerns.
Moehring said the discussion of the concealed carry issue revived consideration of improving security for the County Administration Building, including installing a metal detector. He said the elected officials were unanimous in supporting that plan. He said the initial cost estimate is about $60,000.
Adams said he supports the idea as a constitutional right and as a means of individual self-defence.
"It's just a basic right to carry that weapon," Adams said. "It's up to you to become proficient with it."
"The only 'what if' we need to be concerned with is what happens if someone makes it through those doors."
NW News on 06/01/2018
