Possible "Pocketknife Problem" at Ohio Statehouse

S

Safety Guy

Joined
Mar 9, 2001
Messages
1,794
I was going to attend the Senate Bill 274 Ohio CCW meeting this morning but I didn't go. I didn't feel like leaving my pocketknife in my car.

Yesterday, I called to check on any security changes recently. I asked if I would be treated like a criminal if I had a pocketknife on me.

I was told "yes."

The State Highway Patrol guy (no, I didn't get his name) told me pocketknives would be considered concealed weapons.

I just called again and talked to another guy. I tried to clear this up, thinking maybe it was just some trooper who didn't know his Ohio Revised Code. The guy I talked to just now didn't clear up my confusion! I asked if signs had been posted. He couldn't say. He said that ramdom checks would be done, and there were no checkpoints. He suggested I leave my "tool" in my car!

I reminded him of the ORC rules on what constitutes a "concealed, deadly weapon," but that didn't seem to help.

Tomorrow morning I will call the supervisor. This is worrisome. It's one thing to have checkpoints and a clear "RULE" but to be given weird info which doesn't make much sense is disturbing.

That and the fact he says that the police are "the first line of defense."

Bullsh!t.

Citizens are.

I am upset and getting more upset with this stupid, victim encouraging society of ours.

Karl
 
Unfortunately, this is becoming an increasing part of American society since 9/11. There are places that I never gave a second thought to in terms of carrying a knife, especially a folder, that I now have to be concerned about. The worst part is, I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel with regard to issues like this.:(

Politically-correct, knee-jerk reactions like this are becoming almost routine.
 
I'm very concerned by the undefined nature of what isn't permitted. It allows too much leeway in terms of allowing the cops to claim a person is a criminal.
 
Later on I called my Representative's office and complained. I'm taking this as high as I can. Either have a simple rule with signage and checkpoints where I can leave my "killer assault weapons," or let me be.

But no half-a**ed "it's best to leave it in the car because you could get a random check" horsedung advice!

Who called for this, and why are they so fuzzy? Are they trying to ENTRAP folks off the street? How are random checks going to keep crooks from carrying knives as WEAPONS? Do they expect the crooks to go on the "honor system?"

Or is threatening good citizens like me going to help the "war on terrorism?"

Stupid @#$$%^& bureaucratic totalitarian a**wipes...

Karl
 
Amen.

The whole idea is to keep you feeling guilty. You didn't break a law, you didn't violate a regulation, but you aren't going along with the herd, either, are you? Shame on you.

What are you trying to do, stand up for your rights? Only criminals have rights. Are you a criminal? NO? Then why are you carrying a weapon?

Are you now or have you ever been a member of the National Rifle Association or of any other unAmerican institution?

Assume the position.
 
I just read in today's Columbus Dispatch that "for the first time in memory, the State Highway Patrol searched those entering the cramped committee room with hand-held metal detectors in a random sweep for weapons." It also said one person "had to turn in a pocket knife." Don't know if he got it back or not.

They were talking about the House Bill 274 on CCW meeting.

I'm glad I didn't go.

BTW, it passed and will be sent to the senate. If it passes there, it will be vetoed by Gov. "Tyrant" Taft.

Karl
 
One of the great things about Ohio, no hard rules about anything, unless of course you get caught violating one of our ambiguous laws.:rolleyes:

As I see it, the reason they don't want to set a clear rule on this, then it would have to be enforced all of the time and that would mean extra work.

Interesting how Taft got elected on the promise of sign a concealed carry law if it made it to his desk. The when it gets there twice, he won't sign. Why, becuase no political law enforcement group will back a concealed carry law. Never mind what his constituents want. I just love being lied to!:mad:
 
I talked with an Ohio Highway Patrol Sgt. Teeter today on the phone about this problem right after I talked with my Representative, Jim McGregor.

According to Sgt. Teeter, I must have talked with some of the "new" guys, who aren't as experienced with the "rules."

Apparently, the Statehouse is still governed by the basic Ohio Revised Code regs, and I won't be arrested or have my pocketknives confiscated as long as I am abiding by the ORC.

I thanked Sgt. Teeter for his help.

Was all of this for nothing, or did my asking for the exact Statehouse rules/regs have anything to do with it?

Or the fact I mentioned I had just talked with my State Rep?

Who knows?

Karl
 
Meanwhile, back at the ranch ... you could still get your pocket knife confiscated by one of those "new guys" and have to jump through hoops after the fact to get your rights under the ORC belatedly recognized, with apologies for the missing knife which mysteriously never was seen again ... !?
 
If it wasn't for the persistant questioning like SafetyGuy has done, the knife rules would not become common knowledge to the "new guys". It took time and effort to finally get to an officer that knew the law. Hopefully this will be passed on to the "newer guys" and from them to others. That is the only way it will get done. No one is going to post a sign saying what you CAN do, only what you cannot. Great to see you staying on their asses SafetyGuy.
Greg
 
Last month I went to the St. Joseph County courthouse to file a small claims lawsuit. After going through the metal detector I was told to take my pocket knife back to my car. I said, "it's cold and I'm parked 3 blocks away. I'll leave it here with you and pick it up on the way out." No deal, they made me make the trip. When I returned they told me I couldn't take my keys into the building and held them for me until I left. It was all I could do to stop from screaming.

Last week I went to make a product delivery at the U.S. courthouse to a prosecutor there. After 10 minutes with the "screeners," the metal detectors and a request to take my shoes off, I gave up, left and told the customer he'd have to have the package sent by UPS the entire 9 miles between us. It appears the staples the surgeons left in my chest are enough to trip metal detectors if they are set high enough. Why these people would fear a few staples is beyond me.

Sounds like the Ohio statehouse is pretty reasonable to me compared to our local courthouses.

I hate to say it but I think the terrorists are ahead in the war on terrorism so far. In addition to losing thousands of American lives we have all lost personal freedom and the terrorists are still very much in business. We've come nowhere close to evening the score. I don't think we've even scratched the surface of the problem. The government has a knack for using anything they can as an excuse to control our lives.
 
Fred, I'd call your state rep and the courthouse security chief to complain. That thing with the knife vs. the keys is "over the top."

Sure, it may be a waste of time, but it shouldn't take that much time and maybe something better can be worked out.

Follow it all with a nice or nasty letter to the editor, depending on how it all turns out.

Karl
 
The courthouse here used to have signs up on the front doors saying no pocketknives, but one of the judges is a knife guy so that got changed. Now they go by individual assesment, otherwise known as profiling. Don't tell the civil rights groups ;) .

Seriously, taking away an officer's ability to make judgement calls based on someone's posture/attitude is not a good thing IMHO. Then you end up with sweeping generalizations and worse security, ala U.S. airports post 9/11.

Just my thoughts,
Clay
 
It has become a gray-er and gray-er area in defining what is and is not a "legal knife" especially here in New hampshire. But the bigger problem is that many of the new Laws being written under the guise of "Homeland Defense" allow far too much discretion in determing what is "contraband" and what is not. In NH, the Law is so wide open to abuse, that should a C.L.E.O (Chief Law Enforcement Officer) for a Jursidiction have some credibility and integrity issues, he/she can make a determination based on the knife and, as the new laws allow, Turn it into a new piece of Police equipment.

While it is not happening often, it is happening enough that more and more of the knives being confiscated are customs and Hi-end production knives and ending up in someone else's pocket.

HEY, that is MY pocket knife!!!! No sir, it was but it is in violation of the Law, has been declared "contraband" and is now the property of the XXXXX Police department. Furthermore sir, the Law allows us to determine what will happen to this knife once WE have declared it contraband, and gives us full authority to dispose of it, or use it at our discretion. very TRUE and very SAD.............Ira
 
well at least most of you guys can buy the knives you want, in california so many different kind of knives are banned, and the last time i tried to find out what was legal to carry i got about a hundred different answers. I can see how it would be illegal to carry a fixed blade or a folder over 3" but besides that i dunno what to say...
 
Manji, go to our Political forum and click on moderator Jim March's name at the top. Then click on his home page and check out his knife law section for CA. You shouldn't have to worry too much about what is legal or not there.

Karl
 
What I know I can't carry in CA is an automatic knife with a blade over 2" and a bali-song. (Stupid-@$$ law on the balis; otherwise I would carry one as my EDC).

Now I have to worry about carrying a pocketknife even if I go to the theatre (not movie theatre). Last week I went to see a performance of "Shaolin Wheel of Life" and before you go in they were examining any bags (my fanny pack). Luckily I left my knife in the car, but I could probably have had one in my pocket and they wouldn't know.

I understand the need for greater security measures, BUT...take measures that make friggin' sense!! Something happens in this country, and all of a sudden like a flock of sheep, people jump on the bandwagon and go ape crap and ban every innocent little thing that *might* be a weapon. (BTW, let's ban all high-heeled shoes for women...besides being potential weapons, I'll bet they ruin more women's calf muscles than people that have been killed by pocketknife). So now even a little pen knife or Micra is considered on the level of a military combat dagger by the "wisdom" of our lawmakers.
Jim
 
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