marine0300
Regular Member
http://joco913.com/news/no-trouble-on-first-morning-overland-park-allows-open-carrying-of-guns/
Oct.2
Glenn E. Rice
The Kansas City Star
Today is the first day gun owners can openly carry a firearm in Overland Park and so far it looks like business as usual in the city.
Nobody has reported trouble, police said.
The City Council voted last week to allow open carry after the Kansas attorney general late last year that said a city “may not completely prohibit the open carry of a loaded firearm on one’s person, or in the immediate control of a person, while on property open to the public.”
Attorney General Derek Schmidt issued the nonbinding opinion on Dec. 29 in response to questions raised by a Wichita city attorney.
Cities may regulate the mode or method of openly carrying a loaded firearm, Schmidt wrote in his ruling.
Overland Park Police spokesman Officer Gary Mason said authorities have not received any calls about the issue this morning.
“We didn’t know what the response would be,” Mason said.
Prior to the vote, Overland Park was one of the few municipalities in Kansas that prohibited open carry. Other cities such as Shawnee, Olathe and Gardner have allowed the practice.
And Jeff Neumann, manager of the Bullet Hole gun range, said he has not seen a dramatic increase in the number of those who want to practice their shooting or inquire about shooting lessons. Neumann said it may a while before the new ordinance would have a noticeable impact.
“I don’t think it is nearly as a big deal as people are making it out to be,” he said.
Gun owners can openly carry firearms in public places as long as they keep the weapons holstered with the safety engaged and within their immediate control. The law applies to all public places except buildings that have signs prohibiting weapons.
Edwin Birch, spokesman for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, said officials there were reviewing their ordinance that bans open carry and have not decided whether to make any changes. Firearms are currently banned in public buildings, Birch said.
When the Overland Park council approved the measure, Police Chief John Douglass expressed his frustration that concealed weapons, which require a permit and training, are allowed in public places in Overland Park.
The city passed that ordinance to comply with a proposal approved by the state Legislature, five years earlier. The city had to allow concealed weapons so it wouldn’t face ligation, Douglass said at the time.
Wichita recently approved a similar ordinance allowing the open carrying of firearms. Since then, no incidents related to open carry have been reported, according to city officials.
To reach Glenn E. Rice, call 816-234-4341 or send email to grice@kcstar.com.
Read more here: http://joco913.com/news/no-trouble-...k-allows-open-carrying-of-guns/#storylink=cpy
Oct.2
Glenn E. Rice
The Kansas City Star
Today is the first day gun owners can openly carry a firearm in Overland Park and so far it looks like business as usual in the city.
Nobody has reported trouble, police said.
The City Council voted last week to allow open carry after the Kansas attorney general late last year that said a city “may not completely prohibit the open carry of a loaded firearm on one’s person, or in the immediate control of a person, while on property open to the public.”
Attorney General Derek Schmidt issued the nonbinding opinion on Dec. 29 in response to questions raised by a Wichita city attorney.
Cities may regulate the mode or method of openly carrying a loaded firearm, Schmidt wrote in his ruling.
Overland Park Police spokesman Officer Gary Mason said authorities have not received any calls about the issue this morning.
“We didn’t know what the response would be,” Mason said.
Prior to the vote, Overland Park was one of the few municipalities in Kansas that prohibited open carry. Other cities such as Shawnee, Olathe and Gardner have allowed the practice.
And Jeff Neumann, manager of the Bullet Hole gun range, said he has not seen a dramatic increase in the number of those who want to practice their shooting or inquire about shooting lessons. Neumann said it may a while before the new ordinance would have a noticeable impact.
“I don’t think it is nearly as a big deal as people are making it out to be,” he said.
Gun owners can openly carry firearms in public places as long as they keep the weapons holstered with the safety engaged and within their immediate control. The law applies to all public places except buildings that have signs prohibiting weapons.
Edwin Birch, spokesman for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, said officials there were reviewing their ordinance that bans open carry and have not decided whether to make any changes. Firearms are currently banned in public buildings, Birch said.
When the Overland Park council approved the measure, Police Chief John Douglass expressed his frustration that concealed weapons, which require a permit and training, are allowed in public places in Overland Park.
The city passed that ordinance to comply with a proposal approved by the state Legislature, five years earlier. The city had to allow concealed weapons so it wouldn’t face ligation, Douglass said at the time.
Wichita recently approved a similar ordinance allowing the open carrying of firearms. Since then, no incidents related to open carry have been reported, according to city officials.
To reach Glenn E. Rice, call 816-234-4341 or send email to grice@kcstar.com.
Read more here: http://joco913.com/news/no-trouble-...k-allows-open-carrying-of-guns/#storylink=cpy