CCW and school property.

[GoMatty]

Just curious if anyone has been in the situation where you have to go to your child's school while cc. Say you get a call mid day because your child is sick or pick him/her up at the end of
school. What do you do with your carry piece? The law says:

§6552. Firearms

1. Prohibition. A person may not possess a firearm on public school property or the property of an approved private school or discharge a firearm within 500 feet of public school property or the property of an approved private school.

There doesn't seem to be any exception to allow you to keep it locked in the car while you enter the building. And what about outside of normal school hours. So again, what do you do?

 

[a73elkyss]

I'm sure others will give a more accurate answer, but I carry a small portable gun safe in the trunk of my car that has a cable that secures it to the inside pillar of the car's trunk. When I have to go inside a school (any school including colleges) or government building, I secure the gun in the safe and park OFF school or government property. I don't believe it matters what time of the day either, as in you can't posses firearms/ammo anytime on any school property (I.E. sporting events, etc.) Remember, you can't bring ammunition on school property either and for now, that also includes pepper spray/mace.

 

[xtry51]

Not shoot anyone and not post about it in a forum.

 

[PaulR]

I'm a puss, I would not risk it. NAL but would this not be a felony if someone saw it and you got caught? Gun safe for the car/truck can be had for $35, simple and effective.

 

[kid_fisto]

Not to high jack but this is exactly why you need to carry in "gun-free" zones. But, I'm preaching to the choir.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I'm sure others will give a more accurate answer, but I carry a small portable gun safe in the trunk of my car that has a cable that secures it to the inside pillar of the car's trunk. When I have to go inside a school (any school including colleges) or government building, I secure the gun in the safe and park OFF school or government property. I don't believe it matters what time of the day either, as in you can't posses firearms/ammo anytime on any school property (I.E. sporting events, etc.) Remember, you can't bring ammunition on school property either and for now, that also includes pepper spray/mace.

1. Note this thread is about MAINE law. I gather from your comment about ammo/pepper spray you are talking about MA law.

2. MA law prohibits "carry on ones person", not "possession" on school property, though few police seem to know about this nuance. I suspect that omission in training is less than unintentional. (read MGL 269-10j for details).

 

[Business]

I secure the gun in the safe and park OFF school or government property.

This

 

[ntomsw]

Just do what your master tells you to do.

 

[a73elkyss]

1. Note this thread is about MAINE law. I gather from your comment about ammo/pepper spray you are talking about MA law.

2. MA law prohibits "carry on ones person", not "possession" on school property, though few police seem to know about this nuance. I suspect that omission in training is less than unintentional. (read MGL 269-10j for details).

D'oh. My bad. I didn't look closely enough at the location and thought the OP was talking about MA.

Excellent point about "carry on ones person" and equally excellent point about most police not aware of it. I learned something valuable today and as I have a vested interest in this exact subject, I thank you.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Excellent point about "carry on ones person"

The police training on this almost universally wrong, and I have seen cases go so far as to have charges filed, only to be dismissed later in the proce$$.

It is important to understand this nuance in MA since, for example, if you were found with a gun in the trunk of your car on MA school property a statement like "I locked my gun in the trunk after parking the car" is actually an admission of unlawful carry on one's person.

 

[9ironfore9mm]

Stupid question - What are your tactics for removing your carry from your holster and placing it the case in the trunk? Someone's always watching so how does one avoid "brandishing"

If I were in a situation where I had to place my carry in the trunk, I would do so in a spot other than where I intend on parking. Little too much? NYC tactic...why let the thieves see you place your laptop in the trunk as you go to Starbucks.

 

[PatMcD]

Who's going to know what you do?

 

[ntomsw]

Who's going to know what you do?

No one would. Conceal the damn thing, and be quiet about it.

 

[a73elkyss]

Stupid question - What are your tactics for removing your carry from your holster and placing it the case in the trunk? Someone's always watching so how does one avoid "brandishing"

If I were in a situation where I had to place my carry in the trunk, I would do so in a spot other than where I intend on parking. Little too much? NYC tactic...why let the thieves see you place your laptop in the trunk as you go to Starbucks.

Here is what I do. Almost 100% of the time, I know if I'm going to a place that I can't carry (post office, school, college, Logan...etc.) Before I get onto the property, I'll pull over. I have a small towel under the front seat. I wrap the firearm in the towel, open my trunk, and lock it in the safe. Takes all of about 30 seconds.

I've also always parked off their property. For me, it isn't that much of a walk, but that is just where I am located.

Again, this is just what I do.

 

[Billsail]

Stupid question - What are your tactics for removing your carry from your holster and placing it the case in the trunk? Someone's always watching so how does one avoid "brandishing"

If I were in a situation where I had to place my carry in the trunk, I would do so in a spot other than where I intend on parking. Little too much? NYC tactic...why let the thieves see you place your laptop in the trunk as you go to Starbucks.

Brown paper sandwich bag, from drivers seat to trunk.

 

[GoMatty]

Thank you. This is pretty much what I was looking for aside from some obscure exemption that I was pretty sure didn't exist. When exactly did schools become a prohibited place for carry in Maine? I remember seeing rifles in the back of trucks at the high school when I was a kid. Interestingly enough, in CA, if you're one of the lucky ones (celeb, rich, or otherwise connected) and can actually acquire a CCW there is no law prohibiting carry on school property. Who'da thunk it....

 

[OfficerObie59]

The police training on this almost universally wrong, and I have seen cases go so far as to have charges filed, only to be dismissed later in the proce$$.

Eh, I think it's unintentional. Cops screw up the carrying nuance when it comes to 269/10(b) DW/Per Se's all the time.

 

[Jason Flare]

I tell the nurse to bring my kid out to the street because I'm carrying.

 

[KBCraig]

Not shoot anyone and not post about it in a forum.

Then move to NH, where it's legal to carry inside the school building itself.

 

[PEW]

Then move to NH, where it's legal to carry inside the school building itself.

This is wrong. By state law maybe, but federal law prevents NH pistol and revolver license holders from carrying in a school. I believe it is because there is no training requirements for the license, but I will have to do some research.


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ETA: ah, it is because the license can be issued by non-law enforcement persons (town selectmen), and because a background check is not required for obtaining the license. It's a gray area. Further description here: http://www.pgnh.org/gunlawfaqs

 

[mpd61]

Eh, I think it's unintentional. Cops screw up the carrying nuance when it comes to 269/10(b) DW/Per Se's all the time.

Ahh...actually, I'm pretty sure we intentionally screw everything up just becasue we're neanderthal, jack-booted, anti-gun, rights-abusing, thugs!

 

[Rob Boudrie]

When exactly did schools become a prohibited place for carry in Maine?

I am not certain about Maine, but I believe there was a national trend towards towards a ban on guns on school property in the 60s after some radicals occupied the administration building of a university using shotguns to do so. The thinking what that this would never have happened if the guns were outlawed on campus.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Eh, I think it's unintentional. Cops screw up the carrying nuance when it comes to 269/10(b) DW/Per Se's all the time.

Really? Do you know a ONE SINGLE COLLEGE in MA that trains their officers on this nuance instead of simply telling them "guns are illegal on campus even with an FID/LTC"?

This is so misunderstood that judges will often grant a search warrant if someone with an LTC is suspected of having a gun in their car on campus.

 

[Deleted member 12999]

Really? Do you know a ONE SINGLE COLLEGE in MA that trains their officers on this nuance instead of simply telling them "guns are illegal on campus even with an FID/LTC"?

I do.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I do.

Care to tell us which one?

 

[Deleted member 12999]

I think you and Obie are both right...

I should be a negotiator lol. At the front line officer level, its basic ignorance and misunderstanding. At the admin level, its a conscious effort to demonize guns. Ive seen parents asking the exact same question re securing a gun in trunk, and been given wrong info by upper level admin. Most running the show haven't looked at case law in 5-10 years. They put that on Sgts. Scary

 

[KBCraig]

This is wrong. By state law maybe, but federal law prevents NH pistol and revolver license holders from carrying in a school.

Yes, and it's a meaningless law. You think they're going to call the FBI, and ask the AUSA to have someone indicted if they weren't committing any other crime?

There hasn't been an appeals challenge to the federal GFSZA since it was re-passed after having been struck down as unconstitutional. That's because it's almost never used, and in the handful of times that it has been used, it's been part of a plea bargain for lower charges.

If you're carrying a gun on campus while making child porn by plying the kids with meth and crack, then you might have to worry about the federal law. Short of that, not so much.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Yes, and it's a meaningless law. You think they're going to call the FBI, and ask the AUSA to have someone indicted if they weren't committing any other crime?

I believe the federal gun free school zxone law has an exemption for persons licensed by the state to carry on school property which, if NH law does not have a carve-out for schools, would be covered by the NH permit.

 

[PEW]

I believe the federal gun free school zxone law has an exemption for persons licensed by the state to carry on school property which, if NH law does not have a carve-out for schools, would be covered by the NH permit.

The NH license does not satisfy the minimum requirements for this exemption, for the reasons in post 20.

Yes, and it's a meaningless law. You think they're going to call the FBI, and ask the AUSA to have someone indicted if they weren't committing any other crime?

Meaningless or not, I believe it's important for everyone to be aware that it is not strictly legal to carry in a school.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

The NH license does not satisfy the minimum requirements for this exemption, for the reasons in post 20.

Which creates the interesting situation in which a Floridian with a resident FL permit visiting NH may have more protection from the GFSZ law than a NH resident with a NH permit. This can be harder than figuring out the tax implications of gay marriage from another state.