Allegheny County Courthouse

[cybrus]

I just love getting the run-around from public servants.

I need to go to the courthouse tomorrow so I called them up to find out where they had the storage units for people to check their firearms while they are in the courthouse.

First called the Firearms division and was told they don't have any storage capability. So, she transferred me to the Lieutenant of the Traffic division (not sure why there, but oh well) who then proceeded to tell me that the only storage they provide is for police officers because 18 Pa. C.S. §913(a) says it is illegal for anyone else to bring firearms into the courthouse. When I explained that 18 Pa. C.S. §913(e) was there to allow us "normal" people to check firearms so that we could then abide by section (a) she told me that those two sections were a Catch-22 - that the storage facility was there because I wasn't allowed to have a firearm in the courthouse, but that I couldn't use the storage facility because to do so would require me to bring the firearm into the courthouse in order to get to the facility!

Oh well - in contact with State Senator Orie to see if they can find out what us "normal" people are supposed to do. I think a few registered letters to the Sheriff's office, the County Executive, my reps, and the Attorney General may be required.

[knight0334]

You are allowed to carry upto the secure point of the courthouse where you check-in firearms. ...after that point it is considered "court facility".

[cybrus]

Exactly - and that's what I tried to explain to the Lieutenant. Unfortunately, she wouldn't agree and said that I was not able to check my firearm as I'm not a police officer....

[00gt1]

again, sometimes the people who are meant to protect us are the least educated on policy

[cybrus]

That's for sure - it's frustrating when you need them to be educated in order to do something!

[Activist]

Cybrus,
You most certainly do have a right to carry your firearm and to have it checked at the courthouse. In fact failure to provide checking facilities for firearms is actually a crime under title 18 Pennsylvania law. Please see the section of statute below from section 913 of title 18. If you continue to get a hard time from those in the Sheriff's Department please get their names and asked to be transferred to the Sheriff who is currently William Mullen. When you talk to the Sheriff tell him Kim Stolfer told you to call. Then report back to me whether or not you were satisfied with his handling of the situation.
Kim Stolfer
ACSL, Legislative Committee, Chairman
www.acslpa.org
FOAC, Chairman
www.foac-pac.org
PSA, Legislative Committee, Vice-Chairman
(412) 221-3346, Home Phone
(412) 257-1099, Home Fax
(412) 352-5018, Cell

(e) Facilities for checking firearms or other dangerous weapons.—Each county shall make available at or within the building containing a court facility by July 1, 2002, lockers or similar facilities at no charge or cost for the temporary checking of firearms by persons carrying firearms under section 6106(b) or 6109 or for the checking of other dangerous weapons that are not otherwise prohibited by law. Any individual checking a firearm, dangerous weapon or an item deemed to be a dangerous weapon at a court facility must be issued a receipt. Notice of the location of the facility shall be posted as required under subsection (d). (Chgd. by L.1999, Act 59, eff 2/15/00.)

[cybrus]

Thanks Kim - I'll give that a shot if my Senator isn't able to get a straight answer!

[XD45]

Originally Posted by cybrus

Thanks Kim - I'll give that a shot if my Senator isn't able to get a straight answer!

well the answer is you can, you weren't talking to the correct people to find out IMO, sure those people should have known but they arent security there so i'm sure they just neglected to ever find out the real answer because it didnt affect them. To go to the sheriff firearms division you dont even need to go threw any security checkpoints so they aren't gonna know. the people you need to be concerned with are the security people and i'm sure they deal with it on a daily basis.

[mpi]

i used to spend quite a bit of time in the courthouse and i always dropped my sidearm in the sheriff's office. they would give you a receipt and pop it in a locker. they even had a sand barrel to clear it in.

mpi

[cybrus]

XD45 - good point - I didn't ask the security guys at the front of the building...

mpi - did you go in through the metal detectors at the front entrance or did you walk around to the side entrance that takes you to the firearms division?