Brookfield Bans Concealed and Open Carry Weapons from Municipal Buildings

With Brookfield Mayor Steve Ponto making a rare speech urging support for a weapons ban in city-owned buildings, aldermen voted 9-4 Tuesday to post signs prohibiting guns, knives and other weapons from municipal facilities.

The adopted city resolution bans weapons from being carried openly or concealed into any municipal buildings, including City Hall, the Public Safety Building library and recycling center.

The vote came the same day the state's concealed carry law went into effect, making Illinois the only state in the country that doesn't allow citizens to carry concealed firearms.

But Wisconsin and other states have given public and private sectors the right to ban concealed weapons in their buildings — in Wisconsin, if they post signs at all entrances.

"First and foremost, I want the citizens of Brookfield to feel safe in their city buildings," the mayor said.

But he added: "I think there are many businesses, churches and other institutions which, if they could have their choice in a totally neutral atmosphere, would choose to ban concealed weapons.

"It's important that the city show leadership," Ponto said. "And I think their job would be easier expressing their opinion if we, in fact, proceed to ban weapons from municipal buildings."

Voting against banning weapons were aldermen Rick Owen, Ron Balzer, Gerald Mellone and Lisa Mellone. Voting in favor of the prohibition were aldermen Bill Carnell, Bob Reddin, Buck Jurgen, James Garvens, Mark Nelson, Gary Mahkorn, Scott Berg, Chris Blackburn and Renee Lowerr.

Ald. Dan Sutton, who opposed the ban in committee, was absent but tried to participate by phone. His connection was lost, however, and he did not vote.

Ponto said most municipalities in southeastern Wisconsin have already adopted firearms bans, with Germantown and West Bend voting to allow weapons (See chart below this story).

But Ald. Owen said signs would not stop someone from bringing a weapon into City Hall.

"If you really want to enforce this... you would either need metal detectors or you would need off-duty police officers (to search people)," Owen said.

"It's clear that some people look at this (ban and sign posting) as a symbolic gesture... But at what cost?" Owen asked.

He argued the city should not take away the public's right to bear arms under the new concealed carry law unless that law "creates a more dangerous environment" in city buildings. There is no proof that is the case, Owen said.

Could concealed carry prevent mass murder?

Ald. Gerald Mellone said he believed it would be safer if private citizens carrying guns were able to intervene if a violent situation broke out.

He cited the 2005 mass murder in which Terry Ratzmann opened fire during a church service inside the Sheraton hotel, killing seven before fatally shooting himself. Mellone said Ratzmann had time to reload.

If someone else had been carrying a concealed gun in the church service that person "may have been able to stop one or more of those murders," Gerald Mellone said.

For many aldermen, it came down to what the city employees wanted. Ponto said they have told him they would feel safer if weapons were not allowed. Employees can not bring weapons to work, under the city's workplace violence prevention policies.

It would be unfair and inconsistent to allow the public to bring weapons into the buildings, but not employees, Ald. Chris Blackburn said. "Let everybody carry or it shouldn't be anybody," he said.

Owen disagreed, saying employers can impose more restrictions on their workers and that doesn't mean they should impose the same rules on "the entire public at large."

Ald. Mark Nelson said the Second Amendment, "just like all rights, is not unfettered."

Ponto said while he supported the Second Amendment, he had problems with the current version of the state's concealed carry law and how it was being implemented in the state Capitol. He cited a confusing patchwork of allowing guns to be carried in some rooms, floors and galleries of the Capitol but not others.

"I really think that the law is poorly crafted, somewhat confusing and, as I followed the decisions being made in the state Capitol, I can't help but think that state government, as it divides up the Capitol, looks silly to people," Ponto said.

He blamed the law's flaws on "the hyperpartisan atmosphere in Madison to the non-stop elections, which I personally am very critical of, and the constant need for people to appeal to special interest groups and to raise money."

After the meeting, Ald. Lisa Mellone said she would consider applying to get a concealed carry permit and she believed buildings were safer with more law-abiding citizens packing heat.

By posting signs at the doors, she said, "you're announcing it to the world that we're sitting ducks."

Some businesses posted firearm ban signs

Signs did pop up Tuesday at some Brookfield businesses, including Brookfield Square mall, a Sprint store, and Aurora and Wheaton Franciscan medical facilities.

While the mall had signs at its entrances, there were no signs Tuesday at the mall's separate anchor stores — Boston Store and Sears, nor at the restaurants at the mall such as Bravo! Cucina Italian Restaurant.

Elmbrook Pediatrics posted a note on its Facebook page saying it planned to prohibit concealed firearms.

"We apologize if this is an issue for anyone, but we feel this is the only way to ensure the safety and comfort of our patients and staff," said the note, which nine people said they "liked."

The pediatric clinic's office manager said Tuesday, however, that they didn't have to post a sign at their office suite because their landlord — Wheaton Franciscan — chose to post signs as the exterior building entrances.

Aurora also posted larger signs at their parking lot entrances, saying guns must remain in locked vehicles. A Sprint store manager told Brookfield Patch the national chain had decided signs would be posted.

According to a BizTimes report, others such as Roundy's and JP Morgan Bank, which have Brookfield locations, planned to allow firearms.

Nancy Justman, executive director of the Brookfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, said restaurants, hotels and other businesses were struggling with concerns about safety, liability and customer opinions. Even the bureau, she said, was undecided about whether to post a sign at its office.

"It’s really a wait-and-see kind of thing," Justman said. "It seems like everybody's really hesitant to make a stand with fear of the unknown, uncertainty about what they might be setting themselves up for in terms of liability."