By Melissa Johnson | Rose Law Group Reporter
A discussion of carrying a concealed firearm on city property was on Tuesday’s Maricopa City Council work session agenda at the request of Maricopa Councilmembers Bridger Kimball and Vincent Manfredi.
Councilmembers overwhelmingly expressed their general support of the Second Amendment and interest in further discussing the issue; they would like staff to work on an idea or policy that could work and present it for future discussion and vote.
Mayor Christian Price and Manfredi noted Gilbert is the only municipality in Arizona to permit concealed firearms on public property, adding the town hasn’t experienced any problems with the policy (not a law), which was adopted in 2014. Maricopa plans to study Gilbert’s process and experience, which generally states that if a person does not have a concealed carry permit, which is not required by law, they can be asked to place the gun in a lockbox, something Maricopa currently provides as well. Exclusions to the policy include secure areas such as employee-only areas, police and fire department facilities and court and prosecutor’s offices.
Questions about city insurance and legal ramifications for employees versus the public arose in the Maricopa discussion.
“We do have a standing army, we do have national guards, we do have policemen,” said Vice Mayor MarvinBrown. “I don’t know that we’re at a point now where we need to so freely think about arming everyone and so freely going to public places. That leads to real dangers.”
