Only in America: Outdoor lockbox for guns at official buildings

[elfs]

Only in America

This box sits outside a courthouse in a small American town. Anyone registered to carry a concealed firearm may also register to acquire a key for this box, and the sherrif is required by law to give it to him unless he has particular and documented cause not to. The key allows him entry into the box, where there are eight further lockers, each with its own key, in which to secure a weapon. It allows any law-abiding citizen to carry his firearm up to, but not inside, the courthouse. Law enforcement officials in uniform are permitted to carry weapons into the courthouse when acting in their official duty, so this box is not for them.

This is just one of those things that's probably not common elsewhere in the world.

Comments

[amindofiron.livejournal.com]

why is this not standard outside any building that has a "no weapons" policy? I suspect that if it where far more people would feel comfortable carrying concealed then currently do.

[pakraticus.livejournal.com]

Using this approach rather than a coat check approach just screams for a bolt cutter, stealing the guns, and then selling them illegally.

Then again I'm in NC and have friends that got CCW permits because it's less paperwork for a pistol purchase permit applying for a CCW than the non CCW route.

[slfisher.livejournal.com]

Thank you. My partner and I had just been talking a couple of weeks ago about how courthouses managed this issue in states where people were more likely to carry weapons.

[reynai.livejournal.com]

This seems like it would be a good solution for a small-town, less so for something bigger. It would, however, make a lot of sense for places where guns aren't permitted to have a checkpoint of some sort for checking them in, though. Or, hell, checking any sort of otherwise-legal 'contraband' such as pocketknives and suchlike.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

There are lockboxes of this type in and around every jail and corrections facility in the world. Police do not carry firearms inside a jail facility. Disneyland and Disney World have them too (for police officers silly enough to have thought that they might carry a concealed handgun inside the Happiest Place On Earth without Disney approval.)

Shared key is small town poverty driven.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

It is a condition of the permit. Therefore everyone leaves them in their cars, usually in lockboxes. This has implications for parking lot security at courthouses, but they know this.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

Anyone seen near this box with a bolt cutter would arouse the ire of 1) sheriffs 2) anyone else.

[kensaro.livejournal.com]

How did Disney manage that? Surely you can't stop a police officer on duty from legitimately carrying a firearm on your private property?

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Well, Disney World is its own polity. I imagine only a state or federal officer could legitimately be said to be "on duty" after entering the Walt Disney World district.

[sianmink.livejournal.com]

the problem here is, stopping at the lockbox is revealing yourself as carrying concealed, which defeats half the purpose of carrying in the first place.

[sianmink.livejournal.com]

Disney World doesn't have a posted policy. I know plenty of people who have carried there.

Disneyland being in Cali is a different matter entirely.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

I have never been to Disney World.

A quick Google confirmed what I knew, to wit, that Disney does not allow off-duty cops to carry on their property. Lock it up, put it in your car, or enjoy the rest of the non-Disney city.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/concealed-carry-self-defense/147517-disney-world-concealed-carry.html

http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/11/30/no-guns-for-police-officers-at-disney-world/