VAN BUREN -- Recalling a shooting incident more than six years ago at the Crawford County Courthouse, Quorum Court members soundly rejected a proposal banning all but law enforcement officers from carrying weapons in county buildings.
Nine of the 11 justices of the peace who voted on the proposed ordinance Monday night voted against it. Only Stanley Clark, who sponsored the ordinance, and Debbie Atwell voted for it. Justices of the Peace Rebecca Cole and Carrie Jernigan were absent.
"I'm taking the advice from the sheriff and law enforcement here and what basically is what's best for our situation," Clark said in supporting the ordinance.
In addition to banning weapons such as guns, knives, razors, swords and scissors, the proposal also would have barred anyone with a concealed-carry license or an enhanced concealed-carry license from taking a weapon into county buildings.
The only exceptions would be law enforcement officers, members of the National Guard and members of the American armed forces acting in the line of duty.
Quorum Court members said armed officials could respond to threats at the courthouses before police could reach the buildings.
"I don't think it would hurt a thing, because we all know all these shootings take place in a minute or a minute and a half and the cavalry can't get there that fast," Justice of the Peace Jayson Peppas said.
State law allows concealed-carry licensees who are county employees, elected county officials, justices of the peace or employees of a noncounty government agency with offices in county buildings to carry concealed handguns into courthouses, courthouse annexes or other buildings owned, leased or regularly used by a county.
Justice of the Peace Raymond Harvey, who said he had an enhanced concealed-carry license, said having armed officials in the courthouse would make it secure if the officials received training and obtained concealed-carry licenses.
James Palmer fired 70 to 90 bullets from an AK-47-style rifle in the courthouse in 12 minutes on Sept. 13, 2011, before sheriff's deputies and Van Buren police killed him.
Palmer had tried to get to Circuit Judge Gary Cottrell on the second floor of the courthouse. Cottrell was not in his chambers at the time, and Palmer ended up wounding Cottrell's assistant before shooting at several offices on his way out of the courthouse and at police cars outside. He was killed on the courthouse lawn in a shootout with officers.
Sheriff Ron Brown told justices of the peace that the ordinance was drawn up by the county's Court Security Committee, chaired by Circuit Judge Mike Medlock and composed of Cottrell; Brown; Jimmy Damante, chief deputy of the Crawford County sheriff's office; District Judge Charles Baker; Dennis Gilstrap, county judge of Crawford County; County Clerk Teresa Armer-Cobbe; Circuit Clerk Sharon Blount-Baker; and four county employees.
After much discussion, Brown said, the committee voted unanimously to recommend the ordinance that was later rejected by the Quorum Court.
He said Monday he still supported the ordinance the committee approved. It would be up to Quorum Court members to decide how they want to change it.
Brown told the Quorum Court that he did not contend the police could outshoot the citizens, but he said being shot at will have an effect on a person's abilities.
"I don't care if you've had one day of training or 27 years, being shot at, you're going to lose about 80 percent of your accuracy," Brown said.
Quorum Court members also questioned how the ordinance would be enforced in county buildings. The two courthouses where court is held are the only ones with deputies and metal detectors at the entrances.
Members asked whether there would be metal detectors at the entrances of the other county buildings and whether deputies would be at each building. They also asked if employees would have to be searched for weapons when they arrived at work each day.
"If you have an ordinance and you can't enforce it, then why have it?" Justice of the Peace Elaina Damante said.
After voting, Quorum Court members said they wanted to meet with the committee to consider amending the ordinance to something that could pass.
Gilstrap said Tuesday he did not know if a meeting would be scheduled or if the Quorum Court would be left to draw up its own ordinance.
NW News on 03/21/2018