Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

Please join me in sponsoring legislation which will enable our county correctional officers to better protect themselves.  Act 123 of 2018 allows officers at our state correctional institutions to bring their personal firearms to work at a correctional institution and store them securely in their vehicles.  I propose that we extend to counties the option of similarly allowing their county correctional officers the right to carry their personal firearms to work for personal protection.
 
Corrections officers – at every level of government: federal, state and county – can be the subject of violence.  This violence may come from former inmates, gang members or others.  Act 123 has been a success in protecting our state correctional officers.  Under that law, a state correctional officer who lawfully owns a firearm may carry and store a firearm in a vehicle at a state correctional institution, provided that the officer provides advanced written notice to the chief administrator of the institution, complies with all applicable laws governing firearms, and follows the departmental policies. My bill simply gives counties the option of extending this same protection to their county correctional officers.
 
I ask that you please join me in sponsoring this important legislation.  Thank you.