AURORA | Aurora City Council narrowly agreed Monday to prevent people from openly carrying guns into city hall and city council meetings.
At a study session, in a narrow vote of 6 to 5, Aurora City Council approved posting signs telling people not to open-carry firearms into the Aurora Municipal Center. Lawmakers were split on the measure with council members Debi Hunter Holen, Bob LeGare, Molly Markert, Brad Pierce, and Barb Cleland voting for it. Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan also voted as a tie-breaker in favor of the signs.
The idea for the signs came about after two armed men caused a minor stir at a city council meeting in February. Deputy Police Chief Terry Jones said the men returned wearing guns March 16 when Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz was sworn into office, with a woman who was also wearing a gun.
“This is addressing I suppose what you would call the social norm,” Jones said. “It’s starting to become a little bit more vogue. Around the United States individuals routinely film the police on open-carry issues to see how the officers will deal with it.”
LeGare, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, which approved the measure moving to council in early March, said he wasn’t interested in taking away anyone’s Second Amendment rights.
“It (open-carry) disrupts basically everything that’s going on in the city because it’s not the norm to have a Dirty Harry gun on your holster if you’re not wearing a badge right next to it,” he said. “Although I have a great deal of respect for the Second Amendment and the rights with it, I have very little patience for people that come in and make a show and disrupt the city operations doing it.”
Cleland, who is also on the public safety committee, said it wasn’t fair to those attending council meetings to be subjected to seeing guns.
“This isn’t about just us in the council chambers. It’s about the people that are also sitting in that council chamber,” she said. “They may not have the same feeling as those that were raised around guns, and those that have a feeling of security regarding guns.”
Other council members said they felt the measure was premature and it was unlikely the men would return.
Bob Roth, the only member of the public safety committee to vote against the measure, said he opposed it because it would not prevent a shooting from occurring at city hall.
“In the cases of people coming in and shooting people, murder and attempted murder is against the law. That has nothing to do with open-carry or concealed-carry or throwing a knife at somebody,” he said. “I agree also that they’ll get tired of it and stop doing it after a time or two. I just think we’re (having) a knee-jerk reaction by considering this.”
Under the measure, people who have concealed-carry permits would still be allowed to carry a firearm into the building if the gun is concealed. Jones said the city prohibits openly carrying firearms in public parks.
Jeff Tomczak, who owns the Rocky Mountain Flag and Kite Company in Aurora, is a concealed-carry permit holder who said he doesn’t agree with the open-carry ban.
“I think it’s a dangerous precedent to start infringing upon rights in any location. It should not be a law anywhere that there should be a ban on open-carry or concealed-carry,” he said.
He said he also doesn’t condone the actions of the men coming armed to city hall.
“If we have the opportunity to talk to those other people that want to open-carry around an AR-15, it’s not helping our cause. It’s not practical, and you’re making it bad for all of us,” he said.
Oh shoot !
Ok, better that they conceal there weapon anyway …
Somehow I don’t think Mr. Legare is sincere about his “respect” for the second amendment when he describes somebody as “Dirty Harry” just because they are openly carrying a gun as is their right in most places. In fact I don’t think Dirty Harry open carried.
The incident about a couple of people causing a “minor stir” (apparently without their guns?) then came back wearing guns were out of line. That can certainly be taken as an attempt to intimidate which is wrong, while just wearing a gun without causing a stir is just exercising one’s right.
Well, as long as people’s feelings are protected.
“Jones said the city prohibits openly carrying firearms in public parks.”
This violates state law. Colorado Springs was sued, and lost, when they arrested a man for open carry in a park.
Do you have the court case? I have been looking high and low for this case and cannot find it anywhere.
https://m.krdo.com/news/Man-sues-Colorado-Springs-after-wrongful-open-carry-arrest/19703692
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LeGare, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, which approved the measure moving to council in early March, said he wasn’t interested in taking away anyone’s Second Amendment rights.
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This statement demonstrates that LeGare is a LIAR.
Most council members have a cop on hand at every meeting they hold with their constituents. This, under the guise of constituents having policing questions. HA
A cop is on duty and in council chambers when they are in session. Study session included.
Why can they have personal body guards but, a person with an open carry permit isn’t allowed to let potential bad guys know they can and will protect themselves if someone decides to get stupid or go off their rocker?
If the creation of bad feelings upon seeing objects are a criterion for concealing the objects, could we please conceal Cleland, Markert, Holen, Pierce, LeGare, and Hogan?
Member Cleland, your bias violates my “feelings” of security when I see that people, not the government, are not armed.
You can view the City Council meetings below for Feb 2 (where a “minor stir” was allegedly created and March 16). I can see no disruption and the meetings seem to be as mind numbing as always. Looks like the panty wetters only excuse is that they don’t like the people they serve to exercise their rights.
Feb 2
March 16