Posted on 03/12/2012 10:14:11 AM PDT by marktwain
JACKSON — Jackson County may soon become the first government body in Michigan, as far as it knows, to let employees to carry concealed pistols at work.
A revised policy on workplace violence would essentially end a work rule against guns by allowing employees and contractors to carry pistols on county property if they have a license to carry a concealed weapon.
Despite disagreement from county department heads, many commissioners appear to believe they should not interfere with employees' rights to carry guns if properly licensed.
"I think its a constitutional right," said Commissioner David Elwell, chief of the Columbia Township Police Department. "I just think people have a right to protect themselves, and I don't think the workplace should be an exception."
The new gun policy was unanimously approved by the County Policy Committee on Monday and will go to the full Board of Commissioners for action next week.
Debate started two months ago, when some commissioners argued it is not fair to ban licensed employees from carrying guns, because the same ban cannot apply to the general public on most county properties.
County Administrator Michael Overton said Jackson County is "cutting new ground" by allowing employees to carry guns.
The county's insurance company "knows of no other county that allows it," Overton said, and county department heads "are unanimously not in favor of allowing employees to carry weapons."
Commissioner Michael Way said he will vote against the new policy.
"I agree everybody has a right to carry guns," Way said. "But I don't think we should openly allow it at work."
Guns would still be banned in some county facilities, such as the courthouse, and employees who carry guns would be subject to work rules regulating the practice. For example, "open carry, " or carrying a gun in plain sight, would not be allowed.
Thanks marktwain. Underground Railroad ping.
[edit] Birthplace of the Republican Party — “Under the Oaks”
Jackson is the disputed birthplace of the Republican Party. Undisputed is the fact that the first official meeting of the group that actually called itself “Republican” was held in Jackson under the Oaks on July 6, 1854. Earlier meetings of groups that later formed the Republican Party were held in Ripon, Wisconsin; Exeter, New Hampshire; and Crawfordsville, Iowa, and all four cities bill themselves as the “Birthplace of the Republican Party.”
Under the oaks is in the hood these days.
this needs to be statewide. as a governmental employee, i can’t carry at work, but my friends can carry if they stop up to visit me.
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