Casper Open Carry Conversation Goes Quiet

Any action by Casper City Council to change city ordinance surrounding open carry of weapons in public meetings has slowed for now.

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Following the change to state concealed weapon carry law this past July, Casper Mayor, Paul Bertoglio, says the council was looking to bring the two laws in line.

"If you believe its wrong or its appropriate to have some prohibitions on  concealed carry in certain venues-public meetings, or where alcohol is served, or in schools-why is it not appropriate to simply apply many of those same criteria to open carry."

Bertoglio says, since the initial discussion in July, they've looked into the legal questions and it appears that constitutionally they could move forward, but he personally believes it needs to happen at the state level for consistency.

"Its very difficult if Casper says you can't do it, but Evansville and Mills and Bar Nunn say we don't have anything on our books that says you can't. Now all of a sudden everybody needs to know where they are going and what body says you can do this and you can't do that."

Any restrictions, he believes, would only be on the carrying of weapons in a specific location where a public safety risk exists.

He suggests many are asking the question, 'Do you wait until something bad happens or do you act proactively'. Government bodies, Bertoglio says tend to be re-active.

Conversations, he says, with individual legislators have begun and he clearly prefers that that body work the issue first.

"I think they need to say it is something we're going to address, or it's not. And if it is not, then relegate the authority to local communities to do what they believe is necessary."

Follow this link to the earlier story,  http://k2radio.com/council-brandishes-gun-restriction-audio/