cuchulainn
Member
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%7E53%7E1142724%7E,00.html
from the Denver Post
from the Denver Post
County forbids guns in offices
Larimer opts against plan to allow arms
By Coleman Cornelius
Denver Post Northern Colorado Bureau
Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - FORT COLLINS - The Larimer County commissioners on Tuesday reversed direction and adopted a "workplace violence prevention policy" that bans guns at work.
The personnel policy, unanimously approved by the three Republican commissioners, prohibits Larimer County's 1,400 employees from carrying guns on the job.
Exceptions may be granted for workers who feel personally threatened, have concealed-weapons permits or get written permission from their bosses. The policy does not apply to the county's law-enforcement officers.
"I agree with this policy," said Kim Guzman, supervisor in a Larimer County motor vehicle office. "I'm an avid hunter, but I would not want to have a gun at work. I think sometimes it could create more of an issue than not having one at all."
Last week, the commissioners considered a draft that would have allowed any employee with a concealed-weapons permit to carry a gun to work.
It would have been the first policy of its kind in the nation to allow county employees to carry guns on the job, according to the National Association of Counties in Washington, D.C.
"Every workplace violence prevention policy that we have seen was going in the opposite direction," said Jacqueline Byers, research director for the National Association of Counties.
Some residents said they are pleased with the outcome of the controversial policy, which touches the highly politicized issue of concealed weapons and has been the subject of national news reports.
"I'm delighted," said Barbara Irelan of Fort Collins, who pushed for a workplace gun ban on behalf of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters. "I think they recognized the wishes of their constituents. I think the general public was very opposed to the policy that allowed weapons in the workplace."
Gun-rights advocates supported the earlier version, arguing that concealed weapons reduce crime. Dozens of gun advocates around the nation e-mailed the county's elected leaders urging passage of a policy allowing firearms at work, said Commissioner Glenn Gibson of Loveland.
But many county workers and residents said guns would be unnecessary and threatening if carried by workers who interact with the public in government offices.
The commissioners said those arguments influenced their decision.
"The public comment and public input was invaluable," said Commissioner Kathay Rennels of Livermore.
The message she got was: "We'd like a consistent feeling of safeness in the workplace," Rennels said.
Commission Chairman Tom Bender, who earlier said he wanted to uphold the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms, called the new policy "a compromise."
But three gun-rights advocates upbraided the commissioners at Tuesday's meeting.
"By passing this policy, you are denying a group of citizens their God-given right to self-protection," said Richard Rehg of Loveland.
Sheriff Jim Alderden, who has issued 2,273 concealed-weapons permits in Larimer County, had pressed commissioners to allow county workers with permits to carry guns on the job.
"I'm very disappointed," Alderden said of the policy that was approved. "The commissioners took the same oath of office I did to uphold the United States Constitution. The right of the people to keep and bear arms does not say, 'except for county employees."'
The northern Colorado county began work on its policy last year, after two human-service employees with concealed-weapons permits brought guns to work. One of them dropped a handgun from a leg holster down a staircase.
Officials realized they had nothing in their personnel manual to address guns at work or, more broadly, workplace violence.
The commissioners said their goal was to adopt a policy that would help thwart violence and would apply uniformly to all county departments.
All contents Copyright 2003 The Denver Post or other
