LOGAN COUNTY, Okla. – An Oklahoma county is taking a stance on the gun debate, voting yes to allow county employees to carry concealed guns while they’re at work.
It’s still unclear if guns can be in the building.
Commissioners are still working out the details.
For now, county employees will be able to take them in their work vehicles.
They said it’s needed to defend themselves in life-threatening situations.
“I’ll be able to carry it now in my county vehicle, and now I can protect myself form people who want to do bodily harm to me or by a wild pig or boar out here that’s attacking me,” said Mike Pearson, commissioner for District 2 in Logan County.
Logan County Commissioner Pearson said he’s thrilled he will be allowed to carry his concealed gun at work.
“I’m in the outback. We have cougars. We have panthers that come through this area, not just bobcats,” Pearson said. “Occasionally, we have wolves. So, yes, I like having some kind of defense.”
He, along with six other commissioners, voted to allow all county employees to carry their concealed weapons.
“They can carry in county vehicles, they can carry anywhere outside the building and they can carry where the public is not invited,” Pearson said.
They’re the first county in the metro area to make such a policy.
“We don’t want to be soft targets,” Pearson said. “We want to be hard targets.”
And, the sheriff’s department said they’re on board with the decision.
“Frequently, it takes a while for a police response if needed, and this will give them a means of protecting themselves until there is an arrival of law enforcement,” said Sgt. Greg Valencia with Logan County Sheriff’s Department.
Now, there are some rules.
“This is strictly for self defense,” Pearson said. “They’re not allowed to target practice. They can’t go shooting a deer, possibly a wild pig.”
An idea of self-defense.
“We are a carry county in a carry state,” Pearson said. “We do feel like we should be able to defend ourselves.”
The commissioner said they felt the need to allow concealed carry because of the Oklahoma self-defense act which said no one can be denied their right to carry as long as they meet criteria set by the law.
It’s still unclear when the amendment will take effect into Logan County policy handbooks.
