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SILVERTHORNE - Despite the new statewide gun control laws, Silverthorne passed a law last week prohibiting civilians from openly carrying guns onto town property.
Police officers are excluded from the ban. Also, civilians who have concealed-carry gun permits from the Summit County Sheriff's Office can still bring concealed guns onto town property.
The town's new open-carry law was written and passed in response to state laws passed earlier this year.
State lawmakers in the spring passed bills designed to make gun laws more consistent statewide. The state laws reduced local governments' abilities to regulate gun control.
In response, the Silverthorne Town Council banned the public from openly carrying firearms on town properties. The new Silverthorne law is similar to laws passed in Breckenridge and Lakewood earlier this year, said Silverthorne Police spokeswoman Verna Pottle.
Town properties include town hall, the recreation center, the Silverthorne Pavilion, Cottonwood Park, Arctic Placer Park, Rainbow Park, Trent Park, the Joint Sewer Authority building, the Public Works building and on all town-owned trails and open space.
The number of concealed-carry gun permits increased statewide, especially on the Front Range, in the months since the state law passed. To carry a concealed gun, a person must pass background checks and must meet other state requirements.
The Summit Sheriff's Office has nearly 180 public concealed-carry permits on file. That number has not changed much since this time last year, before the state gun policy changed.
Senate Bill 25, passed in March, changed the way permits for concealed weapons are issued around the state. The former law governing concealed weapon permits was a "shall issue" law, meaning sheriffs could issue permits to citizens, but could also deny permits using their own discretion.
The new law is a "must issue" - if the applicant has completed all the requirements for a permit, which include a minimum age of 21 and certified handgun training, the sheriff must issue the permit, barring an extreme extenuating circumstance, such as a history of mental illness.
Proponents of the bill, sponsored by Leadville's Republican Sen. Ken Chlouber, say the law is important because it creates a uniform statewide standard for concealed weapons permits. Opponents see the law as taking away discretionary power from sheriffs.
Summit County Sheriff Joe Morales and other sheriffs supported the bill. They preferred a uniform state law over a patchwork of local laws on the gun-carrying issue.
Silverthorne Police Chief John Patterson said exemptions might be made for firearm classes and gun trade shows. He said the town law complies with the state law.
Christine McManus can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 229 or at
cmcmanus@summitdaily.com.
Police officers are excluded from the ban. Also, civilians who have concealed-carry gun permits from the Summit County Sheriff's Office can still bring concealed guns onto town property.
The town's new open-carry law was written and passed in response to state laws passed earlier this year.
State lawmakers in the spring passed bills designed to make gun laws more consistent statewide. The state laws reduced local governments' abilities to regulate gun control.
In response, the Silverthorne Town Council banned the public from openly carrying firearms on town properties. The new Silverthorne law is similar to laws passed in Breckenridge and Lakewood earlier this year, said Silverthorne Police spokeswoman Verna Pottle.
Town properties include town hall, the recreation center, the Silverthorne Pavilion, Cottonwood Park, Arctic Placer Park, Rainbow Park, Trent Park, the Joint Sewer Authority building, the Public Works building and on all town-owned trails and open space.
The number of concealed-carry gun permits increased statewide, especially on the Front Range, in the months since the state law passed. To carry a concealed gun, a person must pass background checks and must meet other state requirements.
The Summit Sheriff's Office has nearly 180 public concealed-carry permits on file. That number has not changed much since this time last year, before the state gun policy changed.
Senate Bill 25, passed in March, changed the way permits for concealed weapons are issued around the state. The former law governing concealed weapon permits was a "shall issue" law, meaning sheriffs could issue permits to citizens, but could also deny permits using their own discretion.
The new law is a "must issue" - if the applicant has completed all the requirements for a permit, which include a minimum age of 21 and certified handgun training, the sheriff must issue the permit, barring an extreme extenuating circumstance, such as a history of mental illness.
Proponents of the bill, sponsored by Leadville's Republican Sen. Ken Chlouber, say the law is important because it creates a uniform statewide standard for concealed weapons permits. Opponents see the law as taking away discretionary power from sheriffs.
Summit County Sheriff Joe Morales and other sheriffs supported the bill. They preferred a uniform state law over a patchwork of local laws on the gun-carrying issue.
Silverthorne Police Chief John Patterson said exemptions might be made for firearm classes and gun trade shows. He said the town law complies with the state law.
Christine McManus can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 229 or at
cmcmanus@summitdaily.com.
