US Postal Service enforces gun ban in public parking lots

The Examiner.com ^ | October19, 2009 | Mike Stollenwerk

[majstoll]

USPS spokesperson Joanne Vito told the Examiner.com that 39 CFR 232.1(l)

“applies to anyone coming into a Post Office or a Postal facility. The regulation prohibiting the possession of firearms or other weapons applies to all real property under the charge and control of the Postal Service. . . . Both open and concealed possession are prohibited, so storage of a weapon on a car parked in a lot that is under the charge and control of the Postal Service would be prohibited.”

. . .

Philip Van Cleave, President of the Virginia Citizens Defense League . . . said that the Postal Service is just “setting a trap” for the many gun owners who now carry their guns on a daily basis and may not even know about this parking lot gun ban. “Even the National Park gun ban allowed folks to store their guns in their cars,” said Van Cleave . .

[TChris]

No person while on postal property may carry firearms...

Postal property, belonging to the government, which is subject to the Constitution, and is "by the people, of the people and for the people", right?

I think each and every restriction on RKBA on government property should be struck down. It should be declared unconstitutional and thrown out of court every single time it comes up.

Disarming the defenders is wrong, it's unconstitutional, and it should be forbidden.

[downtownconservative]

Postal Clerk: “Yes, we’ll send it for you, but your under arrest! And the cops will be waiting for the recipient. That will be $40.00.”

[Gene Eric]

This serves no practical purpose other than to disarm the lawful citizen.

[absolootezer0]

law says postal property since a building in a strip mall is likely leased, rather than owned, would that be considered "property"? i also would wonder if the parking lot at my local post office would be covered under this law as its a city parking lot, and not owned by the post office.

[east1234]

That is its only purpose.

[ctdonath2]

Worse are the USPS offices which are in unrestricted stores. There's a couple around here which are just a desk inside a gas station.

[TYVets]

I wonder how it would interact with NM state-law which considers a vehicle an extension of the owner’s domicile

Oklahoma has a similar law plus it has been tested in state and federal courts by Conoco-Phillips Oil Co.

The State of Oklahoma won in federal court when Conoco-Phillips tried to stop employees from having firearms in their personal cars.

[Sir Gawain]

I’m not taking my gun out of my car you stupid statist morons. And you’ll never have probable cause to search my vehicle while I’m parked at a post office, so SCREW YOU.

[A. Patriot]

I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but the USPS has removed all of the stamp vending machines from office buildings and even post offices. This makes it necessary to take off from work during business hours, go to a post office and stand in line to buy a (explative deleted) stamp.

So, the day I plan to buy stamps, I must leave my “car gun” at home to avoid the postal Nazis searching my car. (By the way, it is legal in my state to have a concealed/non concealed gun in your car and you don’t even need a CCW permit). I ought to just park in the middle of the street in front of the post office to keep from getting arrested.

And we are a “free people”?

[Red Badger]

Yeah, you wouldn’t want to let a union thug get hurt...............

[Russ]

I understand that in Alaska you don’t need a permit to carry a weapon, concealed or not. Also, 90% of the adults in Alaska own guns. How will this law play out there?

[loungitude]

This serves no practical purpose other than to disarm the lawful citizen.

++++++++++++++++++++++==

I’d argue that it is a first step towards warrant-less searches. Want to mail stuff? Gotta get car searched. By the agent on duty at every post office.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Folks, there is a subtle legal issue here that everyone always misses.

There is a federal LAW (passed by congress) that prohibits guns in postal facilities unless it is for lawful purposes (which undoubtedly includes carrying for personal defense when not prohibited).

This nonsense is about a federal RULE (enacted by postal bureaucrats, not by Congress). RULES do not provide the same penalties. This RULE is one of a long list of rules that included not bringing animals onto postal property (your Glock in the glove box is no worse than Fido waiting in the back seat). Other rules include not exceeding parking lot speed limits. Penalties are something like $50.

As a RULE, RULES are intended to apply only to federal employees. There are lots of rules about how to operate a post office, few of which have anything to do with the public. You can have rules about what employees can wear at work, or how often they must wash their hands.

This story is about bureaucrats gone wild, extending their power over their own agency to the public at large.

They can’t send you to prison because some postal board decided to make an otherwise lawful act unlawful.

[Greysard]

And you’ll never have probable cause to search my vehicle while I’m parked at a post office

It might become an inconvenience if someone breaks into your car while parked at a post office and steals your gun. How do you report the theft then?

[TYVets]

law says postal property since a building in a strip mall is likely leased, rather than owned, would that be considered "property"?

About 5 years ago AOL fired 3 employees who had firearms on a leased parking lot in Utah.

AOL won in court, I think that case did wind up in a federal court.

See Reply #27 above where the out come was the opposite

[Rio]

Sounds like they don’t require probable cause:

(2) Vehicles and their contents
brought into, while on, or being re-
moved from restricted nonpublic areas
are subject to inspection. A promi-
nently displayed sign shall advise in
advance that vehicles and their con-
tents are subject to inspection when
entering the restricted nonpublic area,
while in the confines of the area, or
when leaving the area. Persons enter-
ing these areas who object and refuse
to consent to the inspection of the ve-
hicle, its contents, or both, may be de-
nied entry; after entering the area
without objection, consent shall be im-
plied. A full search of a person and any
vehicle driven or occupied by the per-
son may accompany an arrest.

[exnavy]

Dear USPS; 2nd ammendment.

[Greysard]

So, the day I plan to buy stamps, I must leave my “car gun” at home to avoid the postal Nazis searching my car.

I order stamps online, there is a wide selection of nice stamps and instant service. I do my best to avoid visiting USPS offices, they are usually located in poorly maintained buildings (a.k.a. dumps) and all their workers are brought in direct from Soviet Union, judging by their work ethic.

[Sir Gawain]

FMCDH

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I violate their law nearly every day!