Greendale Bans Concealed Weapons From Village Buildings

The Village of Greendale voted on Tuesday that weapons would not be allowed at Village Hall or other village-owned buildings.

With the new concealed carry weapons law going into effect statewide Nov. 1, the Village Board voted to prohibit concealed weapons in the , , and any Village owned building.

The Milwaukee County Law Enforcement Executives Association recommended that all Milwaukee County municipalities enact similar ordinances regulating those activities relating to the carrying of weapons and firearms. Many of the changes in the law are not enforceable within the Municipality unless a regulating ordinance is enacted.

If the Village would not have passed the ordinance anyone with a license would be able to legally bring in a gun into the Village Hall and the library.

 Some of the most significant changes in the state law affecting the Village are:

• Wisconsin residents may now carry a concealed weapon if they possess a concealed carry license issued by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

• Under the OLD law, any person except a Police Officer who goes armed with concealed and dangerous weapon in a public building or place where alcohol beverages are sold and consumed was guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

• Under the NEW law, a person who is licensed is exempted from the crime that prohibits carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a firearm in public building, and carrying a handgun where alcohol beverages are sold and consumed.

• The substitute amendment also provides that the offense of carrying a concealed weapon does not apply to a “qualified out-of-state law enforcement officer” who is not under the influence of an intoxicant and a “former law enforcement officer”.

• The substitute amendment does not affect an individual who carries a concealed and dangerous weapon in his or her own dwelling or place of business or on land that he or she owns, leases, or legally occupies.

The measure passed unanimously 6-1 with Trustee Carl Genz voting against it because he wanted more research done.