Firearm Prevents Police Officer From Casting Vote

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MaineCWPtraining

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BANGOR, Maine - A Bangor police officer says he wasn't allowed to cast his ballot when an election warden refused to let him vote while wearing his service revolver.

James Dearing said he was patrolling his beat Friday when he stopped to vote at the Bangor Civic Center. He said that's where warden Wayne Mallar said he couldn't vote unless he turned over his weapon.

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Turbocharged said:
Service REVOLVER? That's a rare occurrence.
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News reporter screwing it up in translation is more likely. Every policeman's sidearm becomes a "service revolver" and every bad guy using a rifle in a crime, the rifle becomes an "AK-47". Haven't you seen the poster?

-Mike
 
drgrant said:
News reporter screwing it up in translation is more likely. Every policeman's sidearm becomes a "service revolver" and every bad guy using a rifle in a crime, the rifle becomes an "AK-47". Haven't you seen the poster?

-Mike
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Ahhh, I understand. Usually the media reports it as a "Glock that can go through metal detectors".
 
I always see a detail cop at the polls and as far as I remember they always have their pistol. What stops a screw ball from entering the voting facility and shooting people? Can you imagine if the detail officer wasn't allowed his gun to stop the criminal.
 
So I'm guessing there's no open carry at polling places tomorrow ? [thinking]
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Bangor election warden dismissed over cop-gun flap

11/1/10

BANGOR, Maine — A city election official who refused to allow an armed, uniformed Bangor police officer to vote last week will not be working at the polls for the remainder of the 2010 elections.

Bangor City Clerk Patti Dubois, who is in charge of staffing the city’s lone polling place, the Bangor Civic Center, confirmed Monday that Wayne Mallar, a longtime election warden in Bangor, has been asked to stay home.

Dubois said she planned to contact the officer later Monday to apologize and ensure that he has another opportunity to vote.

Additional details associated with Mallar’s long-term status as an election official or the reasons behind his dismissal for the rest of this election cycle are considered a personnel matter, interim City Manager Bob Farrar said.

The incident in question happened late Friday afternoon. Officer James Dearing, who was patrolling his assigned beat near the civic center, decided to stop in and cast an early vote.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/Greater-Bangor/Bangor-election-warden-dismissed-over-cop-gun-flap,157664
 
Some states haw laws against law enforcement carrying at polling places, that's why they have constables work security. Other states have laws against carrying at polling places period. I assume Maine has neither.
 
DickWanner said:
Some states haw laws against law enforcement carrying at polling places, that's why they have constables work security. Other states have laws against carrying at polling places period. I assume Maine has neither.
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What moonbat came up with that dumbass idea?
Why would you purposely disarm an on-duty PO that is within his jurisdiction?

Headscratch.gif
 
DickWanner said:
Some states haw laws against law enforcement carrying at polling places, that's why they have constables work security. Other states have laws against carrying at polling places period. I assume Maine has neither.
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You have no idea what you are talking about here! Constables existed in the US BEFORE there was ever a police department in the US! It comes from "Olde England". I have never heard of any state that prevents LEOs from carrying a firearm while working anywhere. Schools and courthouses I know have weird policies, but policy is NOT law!

MGLs actually DEMAND that Constables manage polling sites and arrest anyone (mandatory, not optional) interfering with the election. Read MGLs Ch. 56 S. 57

I'd assume that Maine has a very similar law.

I know a Constable that used to work every election in his MetroWest town for >20 years until the police union bitched and his chief illegally gave the job to his union officers since then.

Being armed or not at the polls as a Constable or PO is not even relevant here. Any LEO is entitled to be armed when they work. MA with their LTCs and CLEOs that don't want to recognize Constables as law enforcement, so far nobody has challenged them in court.
 
MisterHappy said:
As for the "no carrying while voting" most of the polling places I'm famillar with are schools....so it's OK for John Law to have a piece, but since it's a "gun free zone" no BG will bring a weapon in.

right? [rolleyes]
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Wrong. At least one of the polling places in Marlborough is the Masonic Hall. Carry away. I will.
 
LenS said:
You have no idea what you are talking about here! Constables existed in the US BEFORE there was ever a police department in the US! It comes from "Olde England". I have never heard of any state that prevents LEOs from carrying a firearm while working anywhere. Schools and courthouses I know have weird policies, but policy is NOT law!

MGLs actually DEMAND that Constables manage polling sites and arrest anyone (mandatory, not optional) interfering with the election. Read MGLs Ch. 56 S. 57

I'd assume that Maine has a very similar law.

I know a Constable that used to work every election in his MetroWest town for >20 years until the police union bitched and his chief illegally gave the job to his union officers since then.

Being armed or not at the polls as a Constable or PO is not even relevant here. Any LEO is entitled to be armed when they work. MA with their LTCs and CLEOs that don't want to recognize Constables as law enforcement, so far nobody has challenged them in court.
Click to expand...

Chill out a little, I'm not talking about Mass nor Maine, there are 48 other states. I recalled that I read once that there being some state with a law against LE carrying at a polling places for reasons of intimidation, but I could be mistaken. I know I've heard of at least a few states that ban citizens from carrying at polling places though.
 
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That's not surprising. Isn't Maine one of those crazy right wing states where you can buy a Fully-automatic Glock AK-47 machine gun over the counter? Freakin' gun nuts.
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Maine is one of those grate states where you can buy 10 pounds of powder without a gun license, you just need to be 18. I love Maine.
 
Anyone stop and think that maybe this guy wasn't a moonbat but was trying to level the playing field? Why should the cop be able to do it if the public can't? Now, I am not saying he was, only that it remains equally plausible until some sort of info on his motives is released.
 
Mr Weebles said:
Can't carry at the polls in my town.

Voting is done at the Middle School.
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Depends on whether or not you believe that GFSZ applies to NH public schools or not, and what you think about US v Lopez.

-Mike
 
drgrant said:
Depends on whether or not you believe that GFSZ applies to NH public schools or not, and what you think about US v Lopez.

-Mike
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Agree 100%.

I don't want to be the test case though so I'm not gonna advertise whether or not I carry into the polls this afternoon.
 

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