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OC @ Shouth Shore Park in Milw

qball54208

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
288
Location
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin, USA
On Sunday, my Wife, Daughter our dog and myself got together w/my Mom and her 2 dogs (all American Pit Bull Terriers) and took a really nice walk along the Lake Shore on Milwaukee's South Side. There were hundreds of people out and about enjoying the nice weather.
Upon arrival, we all dismounted, gathered up the necessary items, I of course, holstered up my XD45 in my Level 2 Serpa holster. We all walked along one of the bike paths on the high side of the Lake Shore, enjoying the warm weather.
I really was not paying much attention to peoples reactions, mainly because I do not care. I would suffice to say that I am used to people staring at me, I mean I own a Pit Bull, one of the most misunderstood dog's there are, not to mention, there were 3 of them with me.
We all made our way over to the playground area there by the Pavilion, I'd have to say there was probably a couple of hundred people, kids and dogs there. It was then I noticed all the looks, really noticed them.
I mean, it's kind of hard to miss me, 5'9", 240 lbs, bald, tattoos and wearing a red t-shirt.
After a short time there, I was approached by another Pit Bull owner, all of us engaged in conversation about our dogs, mainly training tips and tricks. We all talked for about 45 min, twords the end of our conversation I had shared a technique whit this guy, up until then he never noticed my side arm. I had exposed my strong side to demonstrate the technique, I saw his eyes get a little big when he had discovered I was armed.
He made mention of not noticing it until the ladder part of our meeting, I informed him the I was exercising my Right to Open Carry, he acknowledged it, we talked about it for about literally 2min!
While talking to him my "situational awareness" or "spidey senses" were tingling, there was a LOT of attention. Look at the scene, 4 Pit Bulls, Me, my 62yo Mother, my Wife and 3yo daughter and a VERY large Black male. In any other situation, a rare scene!
All in all, I believe the general public was educated, by the mere presence of 4 of the most misunderstood dogs, an armed male handling one of them, all engaged in a public civil conversation! A great example!
 

tomm1963

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
176
Location
mke, ,
Welcome to my hood.

The problem you may have had if anyone decided to call LEO is that you are dangerously near a school zone. If you stay on the shoreline trails and in the pavilion area you are most likely OK but go west past Shore Drive and you are flirting with a felony school zone. I would love to take my walks in the park armed. But if I step off my property I have issues. Also Milw. County has a no firearms in the parks ordinance that they say they will enforce. If the charge actually sticks after a state preemption challenge is anyones guess. You could have been the man to push the issue through the courts had a Deputy been called.
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...ocal_result&ct=image&resnum=4&ved=0CC8QnwIwAw
 

AaronS

Regular Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
1,497
Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
The problem you may have had if anyone decided to call LEO is that you are dangerously near a school zone. If you stay on the shoreline trails and in the pavilion area you are most likely OK but go west past Shore Drive and you are flirting with a felony school zone. I would love to take my walks in the park armed. But if I step off my property I have issues. Also Milw. County has a no firearms in the parks ordinance that they say they will enforce. If the charge actually sticks after a state preemption challenge is anyones guess. You could have been the man to push the issue through the courts had a Deputy been called.
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...ocal_result&ct=image&resnum=4&ved=0CC8QnwIwAw


If I had the cash, I would like to test this out. I don't have the funds to fight the charge, so I just don't think it would be a good idea for me at this time. I would love to take my dog to all of the parks that let him in, but I just don't feel that safe, not to carry.
For about two and a half years now, I do my best to follow the carry laws, and not conceal, so parks are just a sad point for me. Should I risk going to jail, or should I risk going to dead...? Feel free, you tell me...
Sure would like to see this "law" tested... No takers yet...
 

qball54208

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
288
Location
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin, USA
Tomm & aaron, it was an awesome day! Yeah I thought about the preemption law...for about that long!
tomm, Trowbridge is a far cry from where we were, infact, I did go to school there and I also lived on Knock & Wentworth for a period of time, WAY back in the 70's!
G. Groppi's was/is a favorite of mine!
I will make the trek down from the North Woods!
 

MKEgal

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
4,383
Location
in front of my computer, WI
tomm1963 said:
The problem you may have had if anyone decided to call LEO is that you are dangerously near a school zone.... you are flirting with a felony school zone.
Milw. County has a no firearms in the parks ordinance that they say they will enforce. If the charge actually sticks after a state preemption challenge is anyones guess.
Between the "GF"SZ law requiring the prosecutor to prove the citizen knew she was within 1000' of the edge of a school property,
and the state law preempting things like MKE CO "no guns in parks" rule,
this would have been a hassle for the person stopped, but should not have resulted in anything more than embarassment & a monetary apology from the county.
 

Max

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
335
Location
, Wisconsin, USA
Between the "GF"SZ law requiring the prosecutor to prove the citizen knew she was within 1000' of the edge of a school property, and the state law preempting things like MKE CO "no guns in parks" rule, this would have been a hassle for the person stopped, but should not have resulted in anything more than embarassment & a monetary apology from the county.

Maybe not. In an email between the Milwaukee PD and Brookfield PD they claim if you are armed in a school zone they could still arrest and confiscate your firearm and let the DA make the decision to prosecute or not. Quite more then a hassle.
 
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