Police Banned from Range...

[PegLeg45]

....in response to city council's vote to ban weapons and magazines.

Burlington mayor, police call expulsion from firing range 'unfortunate'
Facility: Officers unwelcome while city pursues firearms ban

Burlington’s mayor and the police department are using the same word to describe a Lamoille County firing range’s edict that city officers are unwelcome to train there in a dispute over gun control:

“Unfortunate.”

Reached Thursday evening, Mayor Miro Weinberger told the Burlington Free Press that the ban on city police use of the facility is “an unfortunate response to the beginning of a process by the City Council to attempt to protect Burlington’s children and community.”

Said Burlington Police Department Deputy Chief Andi Higbee: “It is unfortunate that this important and much-needed community dialogue regarding gun control currently under way in the City of Burlington and across the Nation has resulted in this action.”

At issue is a decision this week by the Lamoille Valley Fish and Game Club Inc. to order a halt to Burlington police officers’ use of the Morrisville facility. The action is a response to the City Council’s advancing a measure to ban semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines in Burlington.

The City Council’s action threatens constitutional freedoms, Robert Boivin II, board chairman, wrote in a letter to the police department and to city and state leaders.

Thet letter, dated Tuesday, was obtained Wednesday by the Burlington Free Press, which broke the news of the expulsion on its website Wednesday night.

The club’s executive board “can no longer support the City of Burlington with such a prejudice against our club and its members, and has voted to suspend the City’s use of our range for its law enforcement. This action is effective immediately,” Boivin wrote in the letter.

“We hope that the council reconsiders its actions and redirects its efforts towards perpetrators of violent crimes and security issues,” Boivin continued.

The city’s exclusion from the range likely would affect how and when officers train with firearms, Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling told the Free Press on Wednesday night.

“Training facilities are limited in the area,” Schirling said. “It’s unfortunate that a polarized discussion of this nature has this kind of impact.”

The Burlington City Council voted 10-3 earlier this month to direct its charter change committee to craft a ban on assault-type firearms and large-capacity magazines. The meeting was marked by a high turnout by the public, virtually all of whom were opposed to such a ban.

Council President Joan Shannon, D-Ward 5, has said the measure would reach voters by March 2014 at the earliest — and then would require approval by the Vermont Legislature. She could not be reached for comment this week on the firing range’s actions.

Copies of Boivin’s letter were emailed to Shannon, Schirling, Mayor Miro Weinberger, and to the offices of Gov. Peter Shumlin, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott and Vermont Speaker of the House Rep. Shap Smith, D-Morrisville.



http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20130116/NEWS02/301160028/Firing-range-bans-Burlington-Vermont-police-over-city-consideration-of-gun-ban?gcheck=1

I say good for the range..... If these council asshats are going to make asinine moves like this, they should reap the whirlwind of their actions....... Sad that it hurts the cops who use the range, but sometimes there is collateral damage when making a stand. I just hope there is not a lot of blow-back to the range owner(s) from the cops.
 

[Solus]

Good Call.

If the gun ban fails on the ballot in March 2014 and the city asks for permission to use the range, I'd tell them we are looking to get that issue to be put on the ballot and they can expect that to be possible in the next few years.

[Jrlobo]

I don't know what kind of permits the range has to have to operate for the club members, but if the City of Burlington has any say then there may be more shots fired in this skirmish before it's over. But good on them. The local range in Frederick run by the Cresap Rifle Club sits right next to the Frederick City & County range. There are times when events at the latter are allowed to spill over to the Cresap range as an accommodation. And, certainly some of the families of the local police use the Cresap range as well. This arrangement has worked well over the years, but local landowners increasingly press for both to be moved or just shut down because of noise and "danger". As Maryland's governor continues pushing for gun and mag bans, complete licensing schemes and more, there is likely to be similar blowback from MD's gun clubs. There are so few gun ranges in this state that are both affordable and accessible to regular gun owners, my son travels 60 miles to come here to sight in and keep proficient with his guns. The madness of all of this is mind boggling. Hmmm, I wonder what it takes to set up a private gun range...think I'll find out.

[Sean from Vt]

The owners of the Range have nothing to fear from the City of Burlington. The towns are 30 miles apart! Which just goes to show how desperately the City Police need access to that range.

[Magoo541]

The past two Friday evenings I have spent about an hour picking up up 45 and .223 brass after a local PD qualifications.  This last Friday I spoke with the two RO's running the 3-25 yard static range, they had two other scenarios set up for training, and was happy to find out they reflected the attitude of my Sheriff.  The more senior, simile for old  , said that Congress was finding that a lot of the local PD's did not support any further infringement on the 2A to the point that they would not enforce any law that did as much.  While that may be true for the Feds, I think State .govs will be where the big fight is going to take place.

The point is just because the local politicians run their collective vocal orifice doesn't mean that the LEOs support them.

[Sponsor]

[cookie62]

The past two Friday evenings I have spent about an hour picking up up 45 and .223 brass after a local PD qualifications.  This last Friday I spoke with the two RO's running the 3-25 yard static range, they had two other scenarios set up for training, and was happy to find out they reflected the attitude of my Sheriff.  The more senior, simile for old  , said that Congress was finding that a lot of the local PD's did not support any further infringement on the 2A to the point that they would not enforce any law that did as much.  While that may be true for the Feds, I think State .govs will be where the big fight is going to take place.

The point is just because the local politicians run their collective vocal orifice doesn't mean that the LEOs support them.

I agree 99% of local and county LEO's would not help the feds out.

[tombogan03884]

I agree 99% of local and county LEO's would not help the feds out.

Don't bet the farm on that .
They did it without the feds in New Orleans and Greenville Ky.

[Jrlobo]

I emailed my local sheriff two days ago and asked him where he stood on the issue. I have not received a reply. Maybe that answers my question.

[tombogan03884]

I agree 99% of local and county LEO's would not help the feds out.

Don't bet the farm on that .
They did it without the feds in New Orleans and Greenville Ky.

I emailed my local sheriff two days ago and asked him where he stood on the issue. I have not received a reply. Maybe that answers my question.

Maybe he just doesn't want to commit himself until he has to .

I know what I just posted , but the thing about this type of civil conflict is that the man himself often doesn't know what side he falls on until he's put on the spot .
Many, probably most, will take the easy route and do what their told .
There will always be a certain number however who will do the right thing and consequences be damned.