[Statkowski]

Back on July 17th of this year I sent the following e-mail to the MPOETC people:

Major Gallaher, Director Grubesky, and Commission Members:

I am a member of the Pennsylvania Firearms Association (PAFOA), a sitting Borough Council President, and a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant.

On July 4th, the anniversary of our Declaration of Independence from an oppressive regime, a Pennsylvanian was once again hassled by local police due to a lack of training and knowledge, this time in RobinsonTownship (AlleghenyCounty).

The individual concerned was lawfully openly carrying a firearm, as was his right, and, according to the report, a RobinsonTownship police officer said, “This isn’t the Wild West, you can’t just carry it openly like that”

The Borough of Dickson City (LackawannaCounty) presently has two federal civil rights lawsuits filed against it because its officers either were not properly trained, or chose to ignore that training. This may not be the “Wild West” (which really wasn’t all that “wild”), but Open Carry of firearms in Pennsylvania is not illegal.

The City of Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County), due to the actions of some police officers, will have firearms owners descend on its next City Council meeting to ask that they get the word out to their officers – the open carry of firearms in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is not prohibited by law, and has two Pennsylvania Supreme Court decisions to back that up.

The City of Pittsburgh (AlleghenyCounty) will also have PAFOA members address its City Council meeting on the very same subject – stop harassing law-abiding citizens exercising their rights and comply with the law.

As more people become educated, there has been an increase in the Commonwealth of citizens exercising their right to carry a firearm openly (within the confines of the controlling statutes, of course). I have discussed the topic with local people as well as people residing in other parts of the Commonwealth, including several law enforcement officers. I was disappointed to find that a number of the officers engaged by myself and others had incorrect knowledge of Pennsylvania’s Uniform Firearms Act and its resultant legality of and restrictions to “open carry”. Apparently the subject is not mentioned at all in the annual MPOETC training curriculum. How can law enforcement officers enforce the law if they don’t know the law? Pennsylvanians do not want opinion enforcement officers, they want law enforcement officers.

Enclosed please find a copy of a training bulletin entitled “Open Carry of a Firearm in Pennsylvania”. The document was created by “Pa. Patriot,” a member of the Pennsylvania Firearms Owner’s Association.

I submit the enclosed document in hopes that it might be useful, if, as, and where appropriate as a basis for any training memos or sessions in the event you deem them necessary for your department’s officers, and police officers statewide.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if any other information is needed or if I can be of any other assistance in this matter.

Respectfully,

A separate letter, hard copy, also went to the Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner.

P.S. Never received a response from either.