Paul Bass Photo
The next time you visit City Hall, make sure you’re not packing heat — if you want to follow the law.
Signs have gone up there (pictured above) and at the 200 Orange St. government office building informing people that, unless they’re from “law enforcement,” they may not have guns on them.
Mayoral spokesman Laurence Grotheer said the signs are the first results of an ongoing comprehensive review of “security protocol at government buildings.” He said the signs are also being posted in firehouses, in city parks, and at the parks & rec headquarters on Edgewood Avenue.
He noted that Connecticut is a “conceal and carry” state, but the law allows building owners to restrict guns on their property.
Section 29 – 28(e) of the Connecticut General Statutes, which the signs reference, states: “The issuance of any permit to carry a pistol or revolver does not thereby authorize the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver in any premises where the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver is otherwise prohibited by law or is prohibited by the person who owns or exercises control over such premises.”
He said Mayor Toni Harp has asked her staff to “review security measures in place and consider possible upgrades.” Future upgrades could include cameras and metal detectors and “additional security personnel.” He noted that those measures, unlike the signs about guns, would cost money, and therefore need to be considered and carried out in conjunction with the Board of Alders.
The mayor has designated Chief Administrative Officer Sean Matteson as the point person for the security review.
Hartford, too, has been upgrading its security protocols, according to mayoral spokesperson Vasishth Srivastava. It enacted a similar firearms ban in city buildings last year, and plans to put up signs letting people know.
In Bridgeport, “we do not have signs like that posted in city buildings,” mayoral spokesperson Rowena White said. At the police department, a sign does inform people that they have to let officers know if they have weapons on them.
White said Bridgeport’s emergency operation center has been doing preparedness training on an ongoing basis, including for cases involving active shooters. That training is also made available to Bridgeport businesses.
Wow instead of making a stronger gun crime law. Like if you get caught with a fire arm you will.also get 5 years for illegal possession and 6 months for every bullet make this the minimum and believe me No one is going to take chance to carry