Council Considers Weapon Restrictions

Casper City Council is considering creation of a city ordinance that could restrict the "open carry" of weapons at city meetings. The new concealed carry law that came into effect on July 1st already includes that restriction.

On Monday council discussed also prohibiting "open carry'' guns at city meetings.

Casper Mayor, Paul Bertoglio, says council wants to bring the two laws in line with one another.

Listen here for extended interview with Mayor, Bertoglio

"At one point it was strictly that you had to have a permit to have a concealed weapon. That concealed weapons permit allowed you to carry a concealed weapon on your person, except in certain places."

Those restricted places include government buildings and open meetings and, Bertoglio says, open meetings include a lot more than just city council meetings.

"It would effect local improvement districts, water and sewer districts, if they were to meet. They can be very hostile environments when your raising somebody's rates or having some effect on somebody's property and you can't always have security there to maintain the order."

Bertoglio says, he believes weapons don't have a place in public meetings.

He says city staff will be working on the language over the next couple weeks and its not clear when they will bring the question forward for public hearing at a regular countil meeting.