My job allows me to carry, so I do. Every day. I am a devout follower of “concealed is concealed”. I don’t care what a companies policy may be, if there is no metal detector, or no pat-down, the sidearm stays.
So I’m working on Marthas Vineyard and saw their policy covering firearms on SSA vessels on the ticket booth and it read as follows:
“A person licensed to carry firearms in accordance with Mass. G.L. c. 140, § 129B, or Mass. G.L. c. 140, § 131, shall be allowed to carry them on Steamship Authority property and on board a Steamship Authority vessel in accordance with the provisions and restrictions of his or her license, subject to the following additional restrictions:
2.1.1 Persons carrying firearms must identify themselves.
(a) Immediately upon entering onto Steamship Authority property, the person must identify himself or herself to the Terminal Manager (or in the Terminal Manager’s absence, the Terminal Agent, Assistant Agent or other Authority employee acting in that capacity) and present his or her valid License to Carry Firearms or Firearms Identification Card.
(b) Prior to boarding a Steamship Authority vessel, the person must identify himself or herself to the Vessel Captain and Vessel Security Officer (VSO) and present his or her valid License to Carry Firearms or Firearms Identification Card.”
What I didn’t realize, is there is a second section to this regulation, which shame on me, I should have researched. It reads:
“2.1.2 Firearms must be unloaded and secured.
(a) If a person is licensed to carry a concealed firearm, he or she may do so; provided, however, that the weapon must remain concealed and unloaded at all times under the direct control of such person and any ammunition is secured separately.
(b) All other persons carrying firearms must keep them unloaded and in a secure closed case at all times with any ammunition secured separately. If the person is traveling with a vehicle, the case containing the firearm shall be kept in the vehicle, which must be locked or attended at all times. If the person is traveling without a vehicle, the person shall notify the Terminal Manager, Vessel Captain and VSO, and make appropriate arrangements with the VSO to secure the firearm while the vessel is underway. Rifles and shotguns shall not be carried among passengers.”
Out of curiosity, but unaware of the wording of the second section, I followed the requirements stated on the sign. When arriving at the terminal, I located the terminal manager and handed her my LTC. She asked where the gun was (implying vehicle) and I told her “my hip”. She looked a little confused, but then realized I meant that it was on my person. My boat reservation wasn’t for a couple hours, so she asked me to return to my truck and we’d handle it when I was boarding. I didn’t need to locate the Captain as the Terminal Manager notified the Vessel Safety Officer (VSO) that I had a firearm.
This is where it gets weird, (although less weird after reading the second section of the regulation) the VSO tells me the firearm needs to be secured for the duration of the trip. He asks me to follow him to the room that it will be secured in. We go to the front corner of the vehicle deck and he opens a locked storeroom. He points to a wheelchair in the storeroom and says “you can put it there”. I said “just on the seat of the wheelchair? You’re asking me to leave a loaded firearm there? There is a round in the chamber, do you have an appropriate spot to unload and clear it?” I said, “ I’m not trying to be difficult, but this flies in the face of proper chain of custody and safe handling. The sign said I could carry it, but I needed to notify”. The VSO said, “let me ask the captain”. He was gone for a minute, and when he returned, He said “the captain said the firearm needs to remain in your vehicle”. I replied, “no problem, I was intending on staying in my vehicle”.
This is the “secure lockup” btw:
So, In the future I will be adhering to my SOP in the first paragraph.
So I’m working on Marthas Vineyard and saw their policy covering firearms on SSA vessels on the ticket booth and it read as follows:
“A person licensed to carry firearms in accordance with Mass. G.L. c. 140, § 129B, or Mass. G.L. c. 140, § 131, shall be allowed to carry them on Steamship Authority property and on board a Steamship Authority vessel in accordance with the provisions and restrictions of his or her license, subject to the following additional restrictions:
2.1.1 Persons carrying firearms must identify themselves.
(a) Immediately upon entering onto Steamship Authority property, the person must identify himself or herself to the Terminal Manager (or in the Terminal Manager’s absence, the Terminal Agent, Assistant Agent or other Authority employee acting in that capacity) and present his or her valid License to Carry Firearms or Firearms Identification Card.
(b) Prior to boarding a Steamship Authority vessel, the person must identify himself or herself to the Vessel Captain and Vessel Security Officer (VSO) and present his or her valid License to Carry Firearms or Firearms Identification Card.”
What I didn’t realize, is there is a second section to this regulation, which shame on me, I should have researched. It reads:
“2.1.2 Firearms must be unloaded and secured.
(a) If a person is licensed to carry a concealed firearm, he or she may do so; provided, however, that the weapon must remain concealed and unloaded at all times under the direct control of such person and any ammunition is secured separately.
(b) All other persons carrying firearms must keep them unloaded and in a secure closed case at all times with any ammunition secured separately. If the person is traveling with a vehicle, the case containing the firearm shall be kept in the vehicle, which must be locked or attended at all times. If the person is traveling without a vehicle, the person shall notify the Terminal Manager, Vessel Captain and VSO, and make appropriate arrangements with the VSO to secure the firearm while the vessel is underway. Rifles and shotguns shall not be carried among passengers.”
Out of curiosity, but unaware of the wording of the second section, I followed the requirements stated on the sign. When arriving at the terminal, I located the terminal manager and handed her my LTC. She asked where the gun was (implying vehicle) and I told her “my hip”. She looked a little confused, but then realized I meant that it was on my person. My boat reservation wasn’t for a couple hours, so she asked me to return to my truck and we’d handle it when I was boarding. I didn’t need to locate the Captain as the Terminal Manager notified the Vessel Safety Officer (VSO) that I had a firearm.
This is where it gets weird, (although less weird after reading the second section of the regulation) the VSO tells me the firearm needs to be secured for the duration of the trip. He asks me to follow him to the room that it will be secured in. We go to the front corner of the vehicle deck and he opens a locked storeroom. He points to a wheelchair in the storeroom and says “you can put it there”. I said “just on the seat of the wheelchair? You’re asking me to leave a loaded firearm there? There is a round in the chamber, do you have an appropriate spot to unload and clear it?” I said, “ I’m not trying to be difficult, but this flies in the face of proper chain of custody and safe handling. The sign said I could carry it, but I needed to notify”. The VSO said, “let me ask the captain”. He was gone for a minute, and when he returned, He said “the captain said the firearm needs to remain in your vehicle”. I replied, “no problem, I was intending on staying in my vehicle”.
This is the “secure lockup” btw:
So, In the future I will be adhering to my SOP in the first paragraph.
