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Pierce county district court doesn't supply lock boxes

sempercarry

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
378
Location
America
imported post

I talked to the building manager and she knows that they are supposed to provide lock boxes for your guns but they just.......don't. The guards are privately contracted and had no good reason why they don't have lock boxes. The manager said it was because of budget cuts......did they sell their lock boxes to raise money? The security guard offered me a empty cleanex box (WTF)to put my weapon inbut couldn't guarantee its safety:banghead:They also stated that they had no plans to rectify the situation because the issue doesn't come up often enough.
 

j2l3

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
871
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
imported post

The building manager isn't the person to talk to. Pierce County has a security manager, don't know who he is, but they have one.

Best to track him/her down and talk to them about the issue.

Someone, other than the building manager, is overseeing the security contract.
 

Dr. Fresh

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Joined
Mar 12, 2008
Messages
390
Location
, ,
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Are they not aware they are required by law to have a lock box?
 

deanf

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Feb 25, 2007
Messages
1,789
Location
N47º 12’ x W122º 10’
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Been through this a couple times with them. It's tough to push the issue when you are a party to a matter before that court. That's why I never pushed it before.
 

shad0wfax

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Joined
Oct 11, 2008
Messages
1,069
Location
Spokane, Washington, USA
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That court house is in direct violation of state law.

It shouldn't be hard to push the issue at all, especially if they are knowingly failing to comply with state law. The security sub-contractor is not at fault; the manager of the court-house is at fault.

I think I'd insist on retaining control of my firearm until they provided me with the secure lock box where they assume the liability for theft/loss.
 

trevorthebusdriver

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
Messages
591
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
imported post

sempercarry wrote:
[He] offered a cleanex box to put my weapon in..They had no plans to rectify the situation because the issue doesn't come up often enough.

They don't have enough Kleenex boxes because the tissues don't come up often enough.

Bada Bing!
 

FunkTrooper

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
584
Location
Eagle River, Alaska, USA
imported post

So they wanted you to put it in a Kleenex box but wouldn't take any responsibility for it. Really though is it really that important for them to have lock boxes, I think they shouldn't have to spend money on the boxes and just let us carry into the courthouse.
 

sv_libertarian

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
3,201
Location
Olympia, WA, ,
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http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.41.300

There is more to the law, and it's well worth reading, but here is the relevant portion...



(1) It is unlawful for any person to enter the following places when he or she knowingly possesses or knowingly has under his or her control a weapon:

(a) The restricted access areas of a jail, or of a law enforcement facility, or any place used for the confinement of a person (i) arrested for, charged with, or convicted of an offense, (ii) held for extradition or as a material witness, or (iii) otherwise confined pursuant to an order of a court, except an order under chapter 13.32A or 13.34 RCW. Restricted access areas do not include common areas of egress or ingress open to the general public;

(b) Those areas in any building which are used in connection with court proceedings, including courtrooms, jury rooms, judge's chambers, offices and areas used to conduct court business, waiting areas, and corridors adjacent to areas used in connection with court proceedings. The restricted areas do not include common areas of ingress and egress to the building that is used in connection with court proceedings, when it is possible to protect court areas without restricting ingress and egress to the building. The restricted areas shall be the minimum necessary to fulfill the objective of this subsection (1)(b).

For purposes of this subsection (1)(b), "weapon" means any firearm, explosive as defined in RCW 70.74.010, or any weapon of the kind usually known as slung shot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or any knife, dagger, dirk, or other similar weapon that is capable of causing death or bodily injury and is commonly used with the intent to cause death or bodily injury.

In addition, the local legislative authority shall provide either a stationary locked box sufficient in size for pistols and key to a weapon owner for weapon storage, or shall designate an official to receive weapons for safekeeping, during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building. The locked box or designated official shall be located within the same building used in connection with court proceedings. The local legislative authority shall be liable for any negligence causing damage to or loss of a weapon either placed in a locked box or left with an official during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building.


The local judicial authority shall designate and clearly mark those areas where weapons are prohibited, and shall post notices at each entrance to the building of the prohibition against weapons in the restricted areas;
 
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