Port Jefferson bans staff from carrying weapons while on duty after unattended firearm found in village hall
Port Jefferson recently passed a new law banning village employees from carrying firearms while on duty. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Port Jefferson officials have banned village employees, including code enforcement officers, from carrying firearms while on duty, after an unattended weapon was found in a village hall bathroom in recent weeks.
The measure was approved 5-0 on Oct. 25 during a hastily called village board meeting. The law, which took effect later that day, made no exceptions for employees with concealed carry permits.
"Appropriate action" would be taken against employees who violate the rule, Mayor Lauren Sheprow said in an email Monday. She declined to elaborate.
Sheprow said Monday village officials had contemplated banning weapons for the past year. The issue took on new urgency when a firearm belonging to a village code enforcement officer was discovered in a public restroom, she said. The incident occurred sometime in the past three weeks, she said.
Sheprow said the incident posed a potential threat of public harm.
“While no injuries happened and no [members of the] public had seen it … this necessitated, in our view, immediate action,” Sheprow said before the board voted.
The firearm was the personal property of the officer, Sheprow said Monday, adding the village does not issue weapons to employees.
“It is not part of their duties" to carry firearms, Sheprow told Newsday.
The village has about 30 full-time employees and more than 35 code enforcement officers, all of whom work part time, Sheprow said.
In a subsequent email, Sheprow said, "appropriate action was taken" against the unidentified officer. She declined to specify the disciplinary action or the nature of the violation.
Port Jefferson employees are represented by CSEA Local 1000. CSEA spokesperson Wendi Bowie declined to comment.
Port Jefferson code enforcement officers investigate complaints, issue parking violations and summonses, control traffic at events, and report possible crimes to Suffolk County police, Sheprow said.
Amityville Mayor Dennis Siry, president of the Suffolk County Village Officials Association, said he did not know of other firearms bans in Suffolk's 33 incorporated villages.
“It's the first I’ve ever heard of it,” Siry said Tuesday of Port Jefferson's law, adding Amityville had never considered passing such a rule. “We’ve never had that situation.”
He said to his knowledge, local villages have never cited employees carrying weapons as a problem.
“I haven’t even thought about this kind of a law,” Siry said.
Guns cannot be openly carried under New York State law, according to the website of state Attorney General Letitia James.
Firearms also are barred in "sensitive places," such as schools, sports venues, hospitals, parks, libraries and houses of worship, the website says.
It is "relatively rare" for local governments to ban firearms, said Andrew Willinger, executive director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law in Durham, North Carolina. He added most states issue regulations governing firearms and weapon possession.
“Typically, government buildings are considered to be sensitive locations” where guns can be banned, Willinger said. “Even if someone has a concealed carry permit, these … bans are absolute. Even if you have a permit, if you have a courthouse or something, that is considered to be banned.”
Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer said he was not aware of any Suffolk towns that explicitly ban employee weapon possession.
“I would say that all peace officers can carry and then anyone who is properly licensed can carry," said Schaffer, president of the Suffolk County Supervisors Association.
Port Jefferson officials sought advice from the village attorney and the village's insurance carrier, civil service consultants and others, Sheprow said.
Port Jefferson officials have banned village employees, including code enforcement officers, from carrying firearms while on duty, after an unattended weapon was found in a village hall bathroom in recent weeks.
The measure was approved 5-0 on Oct. 25 during a hastily called village board meeting. The law, which took effect later that day, made no exceptions for employees with concealed carry permits.
"Appropriate action" would be taken against employees who violate the rule, Mayor Lauren Sheprow said in an email Monday. She declined to elaborate.
Sheprow said Monday village officials had contemplated banning weapons for the past year. The issue took on new urgency when a firearm belonging to a village code enforcement officer was discovered in a public restroom, she said. The incident occurred sometime in the past three weeks, she said.
Sheprow said the incident posed a potential threat of public harm.
“While no injuries happened and no [members of the] public had seen it … this necessitated, in our view, immediate action,” Sheprow said before the board voted.
The firearm was the personal property of the officer, Sheprow said Monday, adding the village does not issue weapons to employees.
“It is not part of their duties" to carry firearms, Sheprow told Newsday.
The village has about 30 full-time employees and more than 35 code enforcement officers, all of whom work part time, Sheprow said.
In a subsequent email, Sheprow said, "appropriate action was taken" against the unidentified officer. She declined to specify the disciplinary action or the nature of the violation.
Port Jefferson employees are represented by CSEA Local 1000. CSEA spokesperson Wendi Bowie declined to comment.
Port Jefferson code enforcement officers investigate complaints, issue parking violations and summonses, control traffic at events, and report possible crimes to Suffolk County police, Sheprow said.
Amityville Mayor Dennis Siry, president of the Suffolk County Village Officials Association, said he did not know of other firearms bans in Suffolk's 33 incorporated villages.
“It's the first I’ve ever heard of it,” Siry said Tuesday of Port Jefferson's law, adding Amityville had never considered passing such a rule. “We’ve never had that situation.”
He said to his knowledge, local villages have never cited employees carrying weapons as a problem.
“I haven’t even thought about this kind of a law,” Siry said.
Guns cannot be openly carried under New York State law, according to the website of state Attorney General Letitia James.
Firearms also are barred in "sensitive places," such as schools, sports venues, hospitals, parks, libraries and houses of worship, the website says.
It is "relatively rare" for local governments to ban firearms, said Andrew Willinger, executive director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law in Durham, North Carolina. He added most states issue regulations governing firearms and weapon possession.
“Typically, government buildings are considered to be sensitive locations” where guns can be banned, Willinger said. “Even if someone has a concealed carry permit, these … bans are absolute. Even if you have a permit, if you have a courthouse or something, that is considered to be banned.”
Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer said he was not aware of any Suffolk towns that explicitly ban employee weapon possession.
“I would say that all peace officers can carry and then anyone who is properly licensed can carry," said Schaffer, president of the Suffolk County Supervisors Association.
Port Jefferson officials sought advice from the village attorney and the village's insurance carrier, civil service consultants and others, Sheprow said.
Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.
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