Ohio is an open-carry state, and one sheriff is reminding people to use their concealed carry permits and carry their weapons.
However, the Cleveland police union has asked for a suspension of open-carry permissions following the ambush targeting of police officers in recent days. The Republican National Convention, taking place in Ohio this week, has some people worried about protesters and the thousands of convention attendees converging in the city.
Stephen Loomis, president of Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, told CNN that he wrote an open letter to Ohio Governor John Kasich asking him to prepare some sort of executive order outlawing open carry during the week of the convention. In an interesting twisting of the proper legal procedures, Loomis said in the CNN statement that he didn’t care if the Governor’s actions were constitutional or not and that they could fight it out after the convention. He said he wanted him to “absolutely outlaw open carry in Cuyahoga County until this RNC is over.”
Kasich’s response to Loomis was a more measured “no.” He said, “Ohio governors do not have the power to arbitrarily suspend federal and state constitutional rights or state laws as suggested.”
Loomis, in turn, promised to increase scrutiny of anyone carrying a weapon in the downtown area. Ohio permits residents who are licensed to carry firearms to walk around the city, including its core “event zone,” with firearms.
Today is the second day of the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to take place all week. Governor Kasich is drawing raised eyebrows across the nation by opting to skip the convention.
Meanwhile, the Ohio newspaper Journal-News reports that a sheriff in southwest Ohio is encouraging his civilian staff to “Exercise some extra caution” during these volatile days.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones sent a memo to his staff and volunteers suggesting that those with valid Ohio CCW permits take advantage of those permits and carry. The memo was sent to all of his staff, including office and administrative help, not just deputies. He went into some detail, even suggesting that staff consider their clothing so the weapon was discreetly covered.
The newspaper’s account goes on to say that many in the law enforcement community in Ohio are reminding their peers to be more aware of what’s going on around them. While the tone of the article is not one of tense anxiety, one officer, Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer says that it is easy for officers to become complacent.
