Seattle Looking for 'Gun Control Advocate'?

[Desertdog]

Seattle Looking for 'Gun Control Advocate'?
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=\Culture\archive\200601\CUL20060117b.html

(CNSNews.com) - The City of Seattle is running a help-wanted ad for a "Crime Gun Program Coordinator," who will "develop, maintain and coordinate a centralized and regionally comprehensive crime gun database" and "integrate" that data with other law enforcement databases.

The person hired for the job also will "assist in the development of local and regional strategies to stop illegal gun trafficking and related gun violence."

A Second Amendment group says don't be fooled -- the person hired for the job will be the Seattle Police Department's "official gun control advocate," and as such, he or she will be expected to "create and advocate gun control schemes under the guise of stopping criminal misuse of firearms."

The Seattle Police Department's "Crime Gun Program Coordinator" will be paid between $61,366 and $92,060 -- a waste of taxpayer money, said the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA).

CCRKBA also objected to the term "crime gun," calling it an inflammatory term intended to demonize any and all firearms, including those that are stolen in burglaries but are never actually used in crimes.

"Look closely at the job description and it is obvious what this taxpayer-funded position is really all about," said CCRKBA Executive Director Joe Waldron.

"Much of what this so-called crime gun coordinator will do is help the Office for Intergovernmental Relations develop 'gun legislation.' It's already against the law in Washington State to assault, rob or murder someone with a firearm, or to have a gun if you are a convicted felon, or if you are under indictment, subject to a domestic violence restraining order, a former mental patient, drug or alcohol abuser.

"Short of proposing new laws designed solely to impair the gun rights of law-abiding citizens, or chip away at state preemption, or erode Washington's concealed carry statute, just what kind of law would this coordinator be proposing?" Waldron asked.

"If the Seattle Police want to spend up to $92,000 on a crime gun specialist," Waldron said," that person's first order of business should be to go out and recover the handgun that was stolen from Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske's car more than a year ago.

"Other than that, I can't think of a single useful thing this job will accomplish."

As Cybercast News Service previously reported, the Seattle police chief's personal sidearm, described as a 9mm Glock Model 26, was stolen from his car, parked on a downtown Seattle street on Dec. 26, 2005 - on a Sunday, when the chief was off-duty.

 

[dolanp]

We need a Highroader to apply and turn the tables on that scheme.

 

[deanf]

I don't know why they are being so coy with the job title and description.

The chief holds about 2 press conferences a year wherein he uses city facilities, property, and other resources to openly campaign for gun control.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Now, there's a worthy use of the tax payers' hard-earned dollars!

 

[UWstudent]

i'll be fired before i got hired..

 

[Flyboy]

I wonder if they have any restrictions on concealed carry.

 

[Janitor]

I wonder if they have any restrictions on concealed carry.

Not for the person in this job position they won't. The restrictions are for 'civilians' (read: "The little people").

 

[Langenator]

Don't recall offhand if there are any restrictions on CCW in city govt buildings here in WA. I do know if you have a permit you can carry in the state capitol building, though.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

I should apply for this job, it's more than I am making now.

I would push for stricter punishment for gun crimes (armed rob, agg assault, etc.) and after the trial I would take crime guns and sell them to responsible dealers.

I would then push for looser carry laws and more police/civilian cooperation to make WA more of a polite ARMED society.

P.S. WA has reasonably lax carry laws already and is a shall issue state.

 

[Old Dog]

Here's the actual job announcement (from the city's webpage):

Job Crime Gun Program Coordinator (SPD-701177)
Status Regular / Full Time
Shift Day Shift
Filing Dates Sun, Jan 15, 2006 - Sun, Jan 29, 2006
Openings 1 Opening
Salary $61,366 - $92,060 (Ord. Title: Strategic Advisor 2)
Department Police
Location Seattle Justice Center

Position Duties

Provide strategic support to the City’s Crime Gun Violence Reduction Program. Develop, maintain and coordinate a centralized and regionally comprehensive crime gun database and integrate the data with relevant information from the State Department of Licensing (DOL), Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and other law enforcement agency databases. Assist in the development of local and regional strategies to stop illegal gun trafficking and related gun violence. Serve as inter-agency liaison and represent SPD at local and regional meetings pertaining to crime gun issues. Provide information and support to the Office for Intergovernmental Relations in developing legislation relating to firearms. Assist in the development of other specialized information technology systems with SPD relating to crime gun tracking gun violence reduction.

Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration or a closely related field, and three years of experience working in planning and research related to program design, including data collection and analysis, and program development and coordination involving a variety of stakeholders. Experience in policy analysis and development, strategic planning, and advising management on program direction and allocation of resources. Must pass a Seattle Police Department background investigation.

Desired Qualifications
Master’s degree in criminal justice, public administration or a closely related field; the proven ability to design, develop, implement and evaluate complex programs involving sensitive issues and requiring interagency cooperation between multiple jurisdictions; experience, knowledge and/or technical expertise in crime gun issues; expertise in database management practices, statistical analysis and report writing; the ability to analyze data using the Geographic Information System; and excellent oral and written communication skills.

Additional Requirements
Candidates selected for this position will be required to provide a conviction history.
A background check will be required for candidates selected for this position.

 

[Old Dog]

Don't recall offhand if there are any restrictions on CCW in city govt buildings here in WA.

Actually, there are some. Here's the link:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.41.300

 

[USAFNoDAk]

I should apply for this job, it's more than I am making now.

I would push for stricter punishment for gun crimes (armed rob, agg assault, etc.) and after the trial I would take crime guns and sell them to responsible dealers.

I would then push for looser carry laws and more police/civilian cooperation to make WA more of a polite ARMED society.

P.S. WA has reasonably lax carry laws already and is a shall issue state.

I would only hope after the trial that one would see if the crime guns had been stolen and their rightful and "legal" owner could be reunited with them. If not, then I like your idea of selling them to responsible dealers.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

I would only hope after the trial that one would see if the crime guns had been stolen and their rightful and "legal" owner could be reunited with them. If not, then I like your idea of selling them to responsible dealers.

I don't see a problem with that, after all I am for "reasonable" gun control (i.e. The 4 rules and a good grip)

 

[George S.]

Don't recall offhand if there are any restrictions on CCW in city govt buildings here in WA. I do know if you have a permit you can carry in the state capitol building, though.

While you can legally carry a weapon in the Legislative Building (The Capitol "Dome") you cannot legally carry a weapon in any other state-owned or leased building anywhere in the state. Most all county courthouses and city halls also prohibit CCW on the premises.

The Chief of Police of Seattle is feverenty an "anti" and would more than likely work hard to insure that this new office would be a flagship for more gun control laws not only in Seattle, but in the rest of the state.

Even when his service pistol was stolen, he didn't seem to believe that he messed up and the Mayor kept him in office. He should have been canned and the Mayor recalled. But Seatle is far and away too liberal for coming down on their officials. The general population, yes, but when it comes to looking the other way, seattle politicans always seem to miss seeing something.

 

[scout26]

Fab Fink,

You can put me down as a reference on your application.

 

[Henry Bowman]

you cannot legally carry a weapon in any other state-owned or leased building anywhere in the state. Most all county courthouses and city halls also prohibit CCW on the premises.

That is not how WA state law (which is preemptive) reads.

 

[tellner]

The actual job description seems to be pretty innocuous. With all due respect to the CCRKBA, whose work I strongly support, they have a tendency to do the Chicken Little at any opportunity to get into print.

 

[deanf]

While you can legally carry a weapon in the Legislative Building (The Capitol "Dome") you cannot legally carry a weapon in any other state-owned or leased building anywhere in the state.

What's your basis for saying this?

 

[XD_fan]

Actually, there are some. Here's the link:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.41.300

9.41.300 addresses specific areas such as courts, jails, patient areas of mental hospitals etc. There is no general prohibition for city, state or county government buildings. There is, in fact, no provision for CCW prohibition except for the specific areas outlined in the above. No guns allowed signs have no meaning what so ever in Washington. The most that can happen is for you to be asked to leave. Refusal to leave is subject to a trespass violation. Get a copy of Workman's book.

http://www.defensetactics.com/washington_gun_rights.htm

 

[Fred Fuller]

"Provide information and support to the Office for Intergovernmental Relations in developing legislation relating to firearms."
===============================

Riiiiiiiight.

lpl/nc

 

[deanf]

No guns allowed signs have no meaning what so ever in Washington.

See to me a No Guns sign on private property means "if you come onto this property armed, you are tresspassing." Anyone carrying a gun has already been asked to leave by the sign, and if they are caught, could be arrested for tresspassing with no request-to-leave/refusal necessary.

 

[George S.]

What's your basis for saying this?

The WAC (Washington Administrative Code) allows individual state agencies to make rules that govern the adminstrative operation of that agency. These are usually called Agency Policy rules and regulations. The agencies can make rules that govern how the agency conducts business, makes rules and controls their employees and their actions. While legislative action is typically required to add or change provisions of the WAC itself, the individual agencies can further define or "customize" WAC based on the requirements of the agency.

The agency I worked for specifically prohibited the carrying of weapons in any of the buildings it owned or leased state-wide. Carrying a weapon was (and still is) grounds for immediate dismissal. On the state Capitol Campus, there are signs in buildings and in the parking garages that states that certain WAC's prohibit possession of weapons while on the grounds.

Some state agencies have personnel that are authorized by law to carry a weapon in the course of their duties. These are typically employees in some sort of law-enforcement position within an agency. But for the most part, if you are caught carrying a concealed weapon anywhere on the Capitol Campus (except in the Legislative Building or going to or coming from it) or in any of the buildings, you would be subject to arrest. That includes leaving a weapon in your parked vehicle while you are at work. The Washington State Patrol has law enforcement authority on the Capitol Campus and they have the right to search a vehicle parked on the campus.

I spent 30 years working for the State of WA and it's been that way since I started. I had asked a number of WSP Troopers about this and in every case, I was told that weapons possession in state offices was prohibited by agency policy and a violation of state laws. The specific violation would not necessarily be because of an RCW but the appropriate WAC and agency policy.

 

[rwc]

The WA Attorney General's Office had a policy prohibiting possession of firearms.

The new Seattle city hall does not have a "no firearms" sign...

 

[deanf]

The WAC (Washington Administrative Code) allows individual state agencies to make rules that govern the adminstrative operation of that agency.

That is very interesting about the WAC.

I know that in the past the state supreme court has overturned WACs that conflict with state law. And since there are very specific concealed carry and preemption laws, a WAC prohibiting gun possession would have a good chance of being overturned.

So if it's so easy for state agencies to prohibit guns with a WAC, why hasn't the legislature gone that route for the legislative building? I know they tried to prohibit guns there a couple of years ago, but some old codger who carries and visits the capital waved the concealed carry RCW in their face and they had to back down.

Why couldn't that be done for other state agencies?

Sure the State Patrol might arrest for a WAC no-gun violation. The question is, are they doing it just to solve the problem as they perceive it at that time, knowing full well they could not win a prosecution, or are they "enforcing the law" expecting to go to court and win?