Knives in federal buildings

What is considered small? Our local offices have parking for 40+ and fenced in areas for twice as many postal vehicles. There are and never has been any type of security, detectors and many do not even have the firearm restriction posters at these branches. If the gun restrictions are there they may be on a bulletin board in the PO box areas. I usually don't go to that area. There are no larger facilities locally that I have seen. These local PO's serve a population of 150k+.
 
let me ask you a question.by the way the post read all of the post office with metal detectors are up north. anyone that is in the south have the metal detectors at there post office??
 
Post offices are covered under 39 CFR 232.1 - Conduct on postal property. , not under 18 U.S.C. § 930 : US Code - Section 930:
Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities

The post office CFR doesn't even mention "knives", just "firearms, other dangerous or deadly weapons, or explosives". Maybe dangerous or deadly weapons is defined elsewhere pertinent to that statute to include knives as in the federal buildings statute, dunno.

Anyway they're not required to post like federal buildings are for a conviction -- good news is that worst penalty is 50 clams and/or 30 days.

Zero visible security in any PO I've ever been in in TN, though have only been to the big main ones in Knoxville and Chattanooga and not Nashville or Memphis, so can't say about those for sure.

- OS
 
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when I go to ship something I always have my Kershaw leek with me and they don't say a thing about it. once in a while one person will ask to take a look at it. no problem. I show it to them and they start looking at knifes on the net. I am not talking about one post office. I am talking about all of the post office that I go to in central Florida.
 
I would say guarded post offices are rare all over the US. They only seem to exist under 3 circumstances:
  1. The post office is actually contained within a much larger non-USPS federal building or a state government building (such as a state court house).
  2. Post Offices that are both located within highly urbanized areas and have a high risk or history of violent incidents at that particular branch.
  3. Buildings that have "post office" in the title but aren't actually functioning US post office branches and are guarded for other reasons (e.g. the Old Post Office in DC that is actually a GSA building).
 
Legally its 3 inches in federal buildings but social security offices post signs banning all "weapons"
 
I was just in my local PO today getting my passport renewed. I asked the post master about pocket knives. No problem, only concealed weapons like guns, etc. Anything that requires a concealed weapons permit. Since my state is an open carry state, I guess maybe (?) anything goes as long as it's visible?? But pocket knives are no problem.

Rich
 
MAKnifenut said:
Legally its 3 inches in federal buildings but social security offices post signs banning all "weapons"
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Nope.

From 18 U.S.C. § 930 : US Code - Section 930:
Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities


"The term "dangerous weapon" means a weapon, device,
instrument, material, or substance, animate or inanimate, that is
used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious
bodily injury, except that such term does not include a pocket
knife with a blade of less than 2 1/2 inches in length."

- OS
 
Only the one Federal courthouse/P.O. has metal detectors around here, the other smaller ones are really relaxed .On the other hand my local hospitals have detectors in the E.R. entrances but the other doors are clear .
 
At the local SS office in the city I work for a woman was murdered (trial pending) in the restroom so now they have security who are strict about everything, even the cell phone volume. If you don't cooperate they tell you to leave and never come back. If you don't leave then I (or brothers/sisters in blue) get called out for criminal trespassing and you could then potentially be arrested. Not sure how it is where your SS office is.
 
I work in a federal building and am in several every week (not court buildings) and have for decades as either a soldier or a civilian. Some are secure facilities which may subject you to search. I carry knives daily (always have my Vic Farmer - 93MM/3.66 inches - in a sheath visible on my belt). When searched, I put my pocket knife/knives in the tray as I'm wanded or before passing through the metal detector. Never a problem. Federal law requires items prohibited in a federal facility to be posted at the entrance(s) of the building. Without such posting, no conviction.
 
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leghog said:
I work in a federal building and am in several every week (not court buildings) and have for decades as either a soldier or a civilian. Some are secure facilities which may subject you to search. I carry knives daily (always have my Vic Farmer - 93MM/3.66 inches - in a sheath visible on my belt). When searched, I put my pocket knife/knives in the tray as I'm wanded or before passing through the metal detector. Never a problem. Federal law requires items prohibited in a federal facility to be posted at the entrance(s) of the building. Without such posting, no conviction.
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Very true. And if you actually read the USC

"(d) Subsection (a) shall not apply to—

(1) the lawful performance of official duties by an officer...;

(2) the possession of a firearm or other dangerous weapon by a Federal official or a member of the Armed Forces ...; or

(3) the lawful carrying of firearms or other dangerous weapons in a Federal facility incident to hunting or other lawful purposes."

So, if you are not committing a crime (paragraph (b) and (c)), then possession is not a crime if it is otherwise lawful.

However, there are other statutes that apply. For example, on military installations, most have an installation regulation concerning possession of firearms and other weapons. Violation of these (administrative) regulations, becomes a criminal matter under 18 USC § 1382 - Entering military, naval, or Coast Guard property - basically a criminal trespass charge. In fact, last time I read the Fort Hood policy, it specified that violations would be prosecuted under Section 1382, not 930.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1382
 
Most of the federal buildings I'm in are on military installations or military leased facilities off installations.
 
It gets to the point when people just need to deal with it , you don't need a knife on you 24/7 , you can go on and on about your rights and crap but really not a big deal if you need to leave it in a car for 5 minutes
 
Spudly94 said:
It gets to the point when people just need to deal with it , you don't need a knife on you 24/7 , you can go on and on about your rights and crap but really not a big deal if you need to leave it in a car for 5 minutes
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Tell that to anybody that's had their car broken into during that supposed five minute window when they stopped to mail a letter, or do anything else during which time they couldn't carry their knife with them.
 
Charlie_K said:
Tell that to anybody that's had their car broken into during that supposed five minute window when they stopped to mail a letter, or do anything else during which time they couldn't carry their knife with them.
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Or a person like me, who does 80% of his errands on foot.

- OS
 
OhShoot said:
Or a person like me, who does 80% of his errands on foot.

- OS
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+1 to that. Not everybody has the advantage of private vehicular transportation. What's the solution then; hope that there are nearby bushes in which you can hide your knife, and hope nobody finds it before you retrieve it? Errand by proxy? Leave your knife at home, run your necessary errands, walk all the way back home to pick up your knife again, and then carry about the rest of your day?
 
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