heyjoe said:
SMM Associates your interpretation of LEOSA is incorrect. You can carry in the funeral home or church in your examples unless they were posted by the funeral home or church itself in states that allow such postings.
heyjoe:
This is probably state-dependent. In OH, for example, a funeral home is considered like any other business, and may post or not, at their option, just like Sears. Nothing statutory....
However, a House of Worship is a statutory CPZ (Criminal Protection Zone)
unless posted as "Concealed Carry Welcome" or the worshiper has permission (preferably in writing) that permits them to carry. (This is the only statutory CPZ in OH that allows for such exemption, except for schools, where the School Board can similarly grant
individual permission - they can't just put up a nice sign that allows carry.)
For LEOSA folks, in OH, a House of Worship still needs a welcome sign or permission, and a school requires permission. Other statutory or private CPZ's are off-limits, just like for the rest of us.
There's some disagreement as to whether a posted private CPZ's "management" can authorize you (we're talking about Sears or something like that), but the only issue seems to be the risk to the licensee (and that'd include LEOSA people) in that the "management" that tells you it's OK may not have the authority. Anybody can tell you not to carry in their business (or home), but it seems to require a note from the Pope to be authorized to carry in there once the signs are up.
Couple of notes:
An on-duty LEO generally can carry just about anywhere, but a guy who's on vacation from an "always on duty" PD may have some issues with that claim
. He/she may also get a pretty big "look the other way" by local LE, regardless.
The off-duty or retired LEO, likewise, is likely to get special handling, but is at least technically bound to obey the same postings and other things that the rest of us do here in OH.
(At this point, while schools and government buildings are supposed to post, there may be some that don't. Houses of Worship are NOT required to post, but may put up "welcome" signs. If you see the steeple, but no sign, it's a statutory CPZ. Generally, it's a felony to carry in a statutory CPZ, with no "willingly" out. Private businesses would rarely be a problem, but signage should be honored.)
Finally, parking lots: With the possible exception of some "secure" lots at the Post Office or a prison, posted lots are a
Civil issue, and probably can be ignored, except for school parking lots, which are still statutory CPZ's. These all apply to LEOSA folks who are not really on duty.
Just FWIW, I'm a semi-retired rent-a-cop. I generally support LE, and the exemptions for LEO's (both "on duty" and retired). I'd just like to see the rest of us accorded the same courtesy, especially while traveling.... Visitors to OH are subject to some seriously off-the-wall laws due to the legislature preferring to make felons out of honest citizens instead of prosecuting real criminals. One beauty: The required signage for statutory CPZ's says "unless authorized by law", which, of course, covers on-duty LEO's, but does not cover licensees or visitors - LEOSA or otherwise. But it's a tad hard to find in the law!
(A lot of private CPZ postings now say specifically that "if you have a license, you're not welcome". Some of them seem to lock out on-duty LEO's, too
....)
Regards,
