“Lake County correctional officers are once more suing their sheriff and county, this time claiming breach of contract in connection with their ability to carry guns. The December lawsuit alleges current Sheriff Brian Martin has violated two terms of a 2011 legal settlement among the officers, the county and previous sheriff, Frank Rivero.” What’s the beef here? Sheriff Martin has allegedly limited when the officers can carry their service weapons both on and off the job.
In an email to correctional officers in March 2016, Martin issued a directive stating officers may carry service weapons only when they’re involved with transporting prisoners.
Under the previous settlement, the sheriff is required to issue the officers concealed carry permits. Permits he apparently doesn’t want them to use with their duty guns while away from the job.
They cannot carry their duty weapons when they merely stop by the office, fuel their vehicles or travel to and from work. The email, cited in the lawsuit, further noted that a concealed weapons permit does not authorize officers to carry weapons onto the jail grounds.
So in order to comply with the sheriff’s diktat, the correctional officers — who hold California concealed carry permits — would have to be un-armed while traveling to and from work. A requirement the officers aren’t taking lying down.
Filed in December, the current lawsuit is about protecting the safety of the officers by allowing them to arm themselves on and off the job, said David Mastagni, an attorney with Mastagni Holstedt, which represents Lake County’s 40-some correctional officers.
“Blue lives matter,” he said. “The public should support law enforcement in their efforts to remain safe.”
Who could disagree with that? Oh wait. This is California we’re talking about. Never mind.