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Chief wants tougher gun law
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Chief wants tougher gun law
By JIM HICKEY, Middletown Press Staff August 01, 2002
CROMWELL -- Chief of Police Anthony Salvatore wants to make it more difficult for people to discharge firearms in town and make it illegal to discharge arrows in residential areas.
He is proposing an amendment to town ordinances that have already forbidden the discharge of any firearm within 500 feet of a building or for anyone under the age of 18 to discharge a firearm, except under the direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian.
However, enforcement of those ordinances is now left to the First Selectman's Office, a policy that originated in the days before the town had its own police department. Salvatore's amendment would put responsibility for the enforcement of the ordinance in the hands of the police department, he said.
"It's really a housekeeping thing, but something that is very important," said Salvatore.
The new ordinance will require anyone wishing to discharge a firearm to obtain a free permit from the chief of police. The chief will then inspect the site where the firearm discharge is proposed to take place, and make sure that it is safely set away from buildings with proper backstops. The chief will determine how long the permit should be issued on a case-by-case basis. The person seeking the permit will be required to show proper identification and permits for the firearms when required.
Anyone who is caught discharging a firearm in town that has not obtained a permit will be fined "not less than $99." It will still be illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to discharge a firearm, or to discharge a firearm within 500 feet of any building, except the enforcement of those regulations will now be in the hands of the police department. New language will be added to make it illegal for people under the age of 18 to either buy arrows or discharge them, as well as making it illegal to discharge arrows within 500 feet of a building.
"This change is partly proactive, and partially a response to some problems we've had in the past. Arrows can be very dangerous," Salvatore said.
The ordinance will not pertain to properties on which hunting is allowed, and will not be applicable to anyone discharging arrows or firearms in or on an established target practice range of an organized rifle, gun or hunting club or any approved indoor range. The ordinances also won't apply to landowners using firearms when in the act of protecting his or her property from "destructive animals or under circumstances permitted by state law."
The town currently does not have any indoor or outdoor shooting ranges.
Salvatore said only a small number of people routinely discharge weapons on their property in town, but he felt it was important to have the police department enforce illegal firearm discharges instead of the first selectman.
"There has been a lot of confusion as to where people should go if they want to legally shoot firearms on their property, and there has also been a lot of confusion as to just what is and what isn't legal. This new ordinance will clear up that confusion, and also help to ensure the safety of the town's residents," Salvatore said.
A public hearing on the ordinance amendment will be at 6:45 p.m. on Aug. 14 in town hall.
To contact Jim Hickey, call 347-3331 ext. 221, or e-mail jhickey@middletownpress.com
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4918358&BRD=1645&PAG=461&dept_id=10856&rfi=6
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
By JIM HICKEY, Middletown Press Staff August 01, 2002
CROMWELL -- Chief of Police Anthony Salvatore wants to make it more difficult for people to discharge firearms in town and make it illegal to discharge arrows in residential areas.
He is proposing an amendment to town ordinances that have already forbidden the discharge of any firearm within 500 feet of a building or for anyone under the age of 18 to discharge a firearm, except under the direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian.
However, enforcement of those ordinances is now left to the First Selectman's Office, a policy that originated in the days before the town had its own police department. Salvatore's amendment would put responsibility for the enforcement of the ordinance in the hands of the police department, he said.
"It's really a housekeeping thing, but something that is very important," said Salvatore.
The new ordinance will require anyone wishing to discharge a firearm to obtain a free permit from the chief of police. The chief will then inspect the site where the firearm discharge is proposed to take place, and make sure that it is safely set away from buildings with proper backstops. The chief will determine how long the permit should be issued on a case-by-case basis. The person seeking the permit will be required to show proper identification and permits for the firearms when required.
Anyone who is caught discharging a firearm in town that has not obtained a permit will be fined "not less than $99." It will still be illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to discharge a firearm, or to discharge a firearm within 500 feet of any building, except the enforcement of those regulations will now be in the hands of the police department. New language will be added to make it illegal for people under the age of 18 to either buy arrows or discharge them, as well as making it illegal to discharge arrows within 500 feet of a building.
"This change is partly proactive, and partially a response to some problems we've had in the past. Arrows can be very dangerous," Salvatore said.
The ordinance will not pertain to properties on which hunting is allowed, and will not be applicable to anyone discharging arrows or firearms in or on an established target practice range of an organized rifle, gun or hunting club or any approved indoor range. The ordinances also won't apply to landowners using firearms when in the act of protecting his or her property from "destructive animals or under circumstances permitted by state law."
The town currently does not have any indoor or outdoor shooting ranges.
Salvatore said only a small number of people routinely discharge weapons on their property in town, but he felt it was important to have the police department enforce illegal firearm discharges instead of the first selectman.
"There has been a lot of confusion as to where people should go if they want to legally shoot firearms on their property, and there has also been a lot of confusion as to just what is and what isn't legal. This new ordinance will clear up that confusion, and also help to ensure the safety of the town's residents," Salvatore said.
A public hearing on the ordinance amendment will be at 6:45 p.m. on Aug. 14 in town hall.
To contact Jim Hickey, call 347-3331 ext. 221, or e-mail jhickey@middletownpress.com
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4918358&BRD=1645&PAG=461&dept_id=10856&rfi=6
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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