Signs posted forbidding guns at high court building

Friday, Oct. 8, 1999 | 9:31 a.m.

The signs were a response to a liberalized state concealed-weapons law that took effect Oct. 1. The law allows people with concealed-weapons permits to pack guns in most public buildings unless signs tell them otherwise.

As word about the new law filters across Nevada, most public building administrators face a choice that Old West saloon keepers had to address: Do we, or do we not allow guns?

"We consulted with our security police before we decided to post the signs," said Karen Kavanau, administrator of the Supreme Court's Administrative Office of the Courts. "We didn't think it would be a good idea to allow weapons in the building."

Assemblyman Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, hopes other building administrators will opt for allowing weapons. He's the gun-toting author of AB166, the new concealed-weapons law.

"The citizen with a concealed-weapons permit who carries a weapon into the Supreme Court isn't going to shoot anyone," Hettrick says. "The people who would shoot are criminals who wouldn't have a permit and wouldn't pay attention to any signs."

The law has led to controversy. District Judge Jack Ames of Elko withdrew his request to have a no-firearms sign posted at the courthouse when the Elko County Commission objected.

"I think we have the inherent power to do so, but it probably would have created a big issue if I had pushed it," Ames said. "There are some radical people on the commission. It is an uncomfortable situation. These commissioners are a different breed."

Hettrick said he is growing frustrated as he tries to explain to people his motives for the new law.

He figures the law will reduce crime because the criminals never will be sure whether the people they face are carrying guns themselves.

"It is all about self-protection," Hettrick said. "The criminal is going to carry a gun anyway. You only punish the law-abiding citizen if you don't let him carry weapons into places where he feels at risk."

Nevadans who hold concealed-weapons permits are those who submit to a background check and have no criminal records, he said. They also must pass a safety course in the use of firearms. About 13,000 residents have the permits.

Hettrick's law states that people with the permits can carry their weapons into any public building except for schools, airports or buildings with metal detectors.

While courthouses in urban areas have metal detectors, the Supreme Court has no permanent detector. A temporary detector is used during the weeks when the court holds public hearings.

One place where no signs against firearms will be posted is the Legislative Building in Carson City.

Lorne Malkiewich, top administrator for the Legislature, said he and legislative police have decided against posting no-weapons-allowed signs.

"The theory of the law is people who have concealed-weapons permits are law-abiding citizens who have gone through appropriate checks," Malkiewich said.

So far no signs prohibiting weapons have been posted at the state Capitol, the Sawyer Building in Las Vegas or other state government buildings.

Ken Johnson, chief of the Capitol Police, said Gov. Kenny Guinn has informed agency chiefs that they can decide whether to allow weapons in their buildings.

The decision on whether weapons are permitted in the Capitol itself rests with Guinn.

"To my knowledge, he has not yet come back to us with his desires," Johnson said.