Carry at Sheriff's office

[rtschl]

I am at Tarrant Sherriff with wife meeting with detective as a material witness to a crime. Never been here and assumed it had metal detectors and thus carry prohibited. But there was none. So could I have carried and not left weapon locked in car? Or ask for secure place to lock it up once I was in the building? This is downtown Ft. Worth and across the street from Tarrant county jail in the old Tandy I.T. building.

Thanks,

Ron

[ralewis]

As long as there is not a court or jail there, I don't believe it's illegal for you to carry there.

[hpcatx]

As long as there is not a court or jail there

It's pretty common for police stations to have a room used by the court/a judge, so be careful with or without metal detectors.

[MasterOfNone]

(b) A peace officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of the officer's official duties may temporarily disarm a license holder when a license holder enters a nonpublic, secure portion of a law enforcement facility, if the law enforcement agency provides a gun locker where the peace officer can secure the license holder's handgun. The peace officer shall secure the handgun in the locker and shall return the handgun to the license holder immediately after the license holder leaves the nonpublic, secure portion of the law enforcement facility.

Unless there is another prohibition, like a court office (as stated by a previous response), only the non-public areas are off-limits and they must secure the gun for you.

[rtschl]

I don't think there are inmates at this facility, as the jail is across the street and no court signs that I saw. But then 411.207(b) as quoted by MasterOfNone raises another question. When meeting with the detective, my wife was in a secure area (I did not end of having to make a statement). But if I had gone back too (she said it was an interrogation room) and if I had been carrying, would I then be required to notify LEO that I am carrying?

Just want to be prepared and correct if situation presents itself again and I actually do have to make a statement.

Thanks,

Ron

[RoyGBiv]

I would have asked the LEO. YMMV

"Officer, I'm not currently armed, but I am a CHL holder. Is there anything about this facility that would prohibit me from carrying legally?"

[sjfcontrol]

It is my understanding that "jails" are not considered "correctional facilities". Correctional Facilities are prisons.
So you're not restricted from carrying in a police station just because there may be a cell or two for temporary use.

[Oldgringo]

I know our sherrif personally and he knows that I am a bona fide Texas CH licensee and that I do carry a SA Compact 1911 when we have lunch together and elsewhere. That said, I would not carry into his office regardless of the fine points of the law. The County Judge (he knows too) does hold hearings in the facility and there are inmates in there. I don't have the time nor the inclination/knowledge to bog myself down in constitutional debates over not much of nothing.

YMMV and good luck.

[rtschl]

The reason I didn't ask is that I didn't want to open the door to getting verbal notification. So just like any other place, I won't ask someone at the place in question. I would rather get my information/opinion from the people at this forum and then decide whether to carry or not.

Thanks,

Ron

[RoyGBiv]

The reason I didn't ask is that I didn't want to open the door to getting verbal notification. So just like any other place, I won't ask someone at the place in question. I would rather get my information/opinion from the people at this forum and then decide whether to carry or not.

Thanks,

Ron

I thought... perhaps wrongly... that if a public facility is not prohibited by law, then an official cannot prohibit you via verbal instruction .

[sjfcontrol]

The reason I didn't ask is that I didn't want to open the door to getting verbal notification. So just like any other place, I won't ask someone at the place in question. I would rather get my information/opinion from the people at this forum and then decide whether to carry or not.

Thanks,

Ron

I thought... perhaps wrongly... that if a public facility is not prohibited by law, then an official cannot prohibit you via verbal instruction .

If by "public" you mean state or local government, then yes -- they can't prohibit you via any method, verbal (oral) or 30.06 signs.

[speedsix]

(b) A peace officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of the officer's official duties may temporarily disarm a license holder when a license holder enters a nonpublic, secure portion of a law enforcement facility, if the law enforcement agency provides a gun locker where the peace officer can secure the license holder's handgun. The peace officer shall secure the handgun in the locker and shall return the handgun to the license holder immediately after the license holder leaves the nonpublic, secure portion of the law enforcement facility.

Unless there is another prohibition, like a court office (as stated by a previous response), only the non-public areas are off-limits and they must secure the gun for you.

...make that MAY secure the gun for you...and MAY temporarily disarm a license holder when a license holder enters a nonpublic, secure portion of a law enforcement facility...reading the law above, if there's no secure gun locker...they may NOT disarm...IF being part of that sentence...in practical application, I went down to write a report on a handgun in a car between two thugs, neither of which could be near one legally...and they took me back to the squadroom and said don't even worry about it...had they been investigating ME, I reckon I'd have had to leave it in my car or they'd have had to follow the law above...one of the two went back to prison..he was on parole...one went up on UCW charges...they did good that night...

[rtschl]

I mis-stated. Let me re-phrase. I agree LEO cannot give me verbal notice in this instance here based on 30.06. The interview room was in a non-public area so I am assuming my visit would have fallen under 411.207(b). So my question should have been: Do I have to notify LEO upon entering the non-public area?

Thanks Guys!

Ron

[G.A. Heath]

I have been told by LEOs that I know that county jails are not considered correctional facilities, however asking a LEO for legal advice is like asking an attorney to tune up your car. They know something about it, but an expert opinion is better.

[GhostTX]

Am I the only one seeing ..."nonpublic, secure portion of a law enforcement facility..."?

How is an office considered that?