State Office BUilding

[markheck1]

Hey, wife has an appointment in state office building 300 Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh, anyone know if firearms are off limits there?

Thanks in advance for your help

[Statkowski]

It's not off limits by state law, unless it's also a court facility. And if it is a court facility, it has to have storage facilities.

The only state buildings that are off-limits are owned or leased Department of State buildings in Harrisburg, per 49 Pa. Code § 61.3.

[BCI Instructor]

Hello all / markheck1

I was a visitor there just 8 days ago, I needed a replacement Birth Certificate, so I had to go to the Dept of Vital Statistics.

I called the Capital Police there an hour or so in advance of my visit.
(412) 565-5428

I advised that I was a firearms instructor and possessed an LTCF and that I would be stopping by during a class lunch break to run a personal errand. I asked their policy as to concealed weapons and if they had a secure storage facility.

They stated that there were no metal detectors or secure checkpoints at the common entrances, but that many sections of floors or individual offices were dedicated full time or pressed into service part time as Courtrooms.
(At no point did they infer or demand that a concealed firearm be checked, I took the above as a gentle warning that it might be easy to get lost or end up in an area where it might be inappropriate to carry a firearm).

I asked if there was a certain entrance they preferred or a specific check in point if I wished to check my firearm. Reply was to simply approach the info desk, always staffed by a Capital Police officer. It seemed that both the main entrance (facing the Hilton Hotel and Point State Park) and at least one side entrance (Blvd of the Allies / facing the Pgh Post Gazette Bldg) funneled folks to the desk, adjacent to the bank of elevators servicing the building.

I parked in front of the Pgh Post Gazette building.
I chose to clear the pipe on my HK USP 45 before exiting my vehicle, and to place my LTCF in a shirt pocket.
Entered the building, approached the desk, advised the officer staffing the desk that I wished to check my firearm. I offered my LTCF, he glanced at it briefly, then radioed another officer who was in their office, just down an adjacent hallway. I was offered very clear directions in a very polite tone as to how many doors down the hall it was and that I would be met by Officer xxx. By the time I approached the doorway, the officer was in the hallway anticipating my arrival.

I was greeted cordially. I offered my LTCF, again it was glanced at only briefly.
Officer opened a small padlocked locker. I asked if he wished to safety check or handle the firearm. He stated only if I wished for him to do so. I advised that there was no chambered round and showed that the safety was on, then placed the firearm in the locker myself. It was then secured, officer stated clearly "you are using locker # 4 Sir" as if to affirm it's location for my memory upon my return.

I was then asked what location I would be visiting in the building, which I volunteered. I was then offered directions and advised to approach the main desk when I wished to retrieve the firearm. I did not think this question invasive, as they had not recorded any info from my LTCF or ask for other ID; I felt it was asked just in case they needed to attempt to determine if I had left the building and forgot my firearm.

I returned to their main lobby desk about an hour later. Different officer at the desk - same process. (Officer radioed, offered a repeat of the directions to their office, met just outside the door). Yet another officer asked me to confirm the locker I was offered and the type of firearm I stored (style / manufacturer).

Padlock removed from the locker. I removed my firearm and holstered it.
(By choice, I decided not to chamber a round due to the layout of the office, didnt wish to alarm officers or adminstrative folks that I could not see with "that" sound due to barriers / cubicles).

I thanked the officer for his service, and advised him that his SOP's or his Supervisor were to be commended as I felt their processes were a textbook example of how to handle such an encounter. He thanked me in return and stated that the only time they have any difficulties was when folks came in, wished to check a concealed firearm, then could not produce an LTCF or a CCW / CHP recognized by PA

All in all, as stated, I believed these folks were cordial and well trained.

PLEASE NOTE # 1: As my destination was not one of the several court rooms, rooms for arbitration hearings, etc ... in the building I did not have the opportunity to determine if it was possible to proceed directly to the floor a Courtroom was on and find if there was a checkpoint / metal detector or if there were individual locker facilities provided there, or if I would have been redirected to the Capital Police Info desk in the lobby that I used during my visit.

PLEASE NOTE # 2: I did not breach the subject of Open Carry, license not being needed for OC, etc ... as the encounters were just so quick that I did not have the opportunity to ask...

PLEASE NOTE # 3: The Capital Police office / locker location is nearly directly across the hall from the PA State Police Recruting Office, so don't just step into the first office you see uniforms in; Capital Police are light blue shirts over dark blue pants.

... hope this helps ...

[markheck1]

Originally Posted by BCI Instructor

Hello all / markheck1

I was a visitor there just 8 days ago, I needed a replacement Birth Certificate, so I had to go to the Dept of Vital Statistics.

I called the Capital Police there an hour or so in advance of my visit.
(412) 565-5428

I advised that I was a firearms instructor and possessed an LTCF and that I would be stopping by during a class lunch break to run a personal errand. I asked their policy as to concealed weapons and if they had a secure storage facility.

They stated that there were no metal detectors or secure checkpoints at the common entrances, but that many sections of floors or individual offices were dedicated full time or pressed into service part time as Courtrooms.
(At no point did they infer or demand that a concealed firearm be checked, I took the above as a gentle warning that it might be easy to get lost or end up in an area where it might be inappropriate to carry a firearm).

I asked if there was a certain entrance they preferred or a specific check in point if I wished to check my firearm. Reply was to simply approach the info desk, always staffed by a Capital Police officer. It seemed that both the main entrance (facing the Hilton Hotel and Point State Park) and at least one side entrance (Blvd of the Allies / facing the Pgh Post Gazette Bldg) funneled folks to the desk, adjacent to the bank of elevators servicing the building.

I parked in front of the Pgh Post Gazette building.
I chose to clear the pipe on my HK USP 45 before exiting my vehicle, and to place my LTCF in a shirt pocket.
Entered the building, approached the desk, advised the officer staffing the desk that I wished to check my firearm. I offered my LTCF, he glanced at it briefly, then radioed another officer who was in their office, just down an adjacent hallway. I was offered very clear directions in a very polite tone as to how many doors down the hall it was and that I would be met by Officer xxx. By the time I approached the doorway, the officer was in the hallway anticipating my arrival.

I was greeted cordially. I offered my LTCF, again it was glanced at only briefly.
Officer opened a small padlocked locker. I asked if he wished to safety check or handle the firearm. He stated only if I wished for him to do so. I advised that there was no chambered round and showed that the safety was on, then placed the firearm in the locker myself. It was then secured, officer stated clearly "you are using locker # 4 Sir" as if to affirm it's location for my memory upon my return.

I was then asked what location I would be visiting in the building, which I volunteered. I was then offered directions and advised to approach the main desk when I wished to retrieve the firearm. I did not think this question invasive, as they had not recorded any info from my LTCF or ask for other ID; I felt it was asked just in case they needed to attempt to determine if I had left the building and forgot my firearm.

I returned to their main lobby desk about an hour later. Different officer at the desk - same process. (Officer radioed, offered a repeat of the directions to their office, met just outside the door). Yet another officer asked me to confirm the locker I was offered and the type of firearm I stored (style / manufacturer).

Padlock removed from the locker. I removed my firearm and holstered it.
(By choice, I decided not to chamber a round due to the layout of the office, didnt wish to alarm officers or adminstrative folks that I could not see with "that" sound due to barriers / cubicles).

I thanked the officer for his service, and advised him that his SOP's or his Supervisor were to be commended as I felt their processes were a textbook example of how to handle such an encounter. He thanked me in return and stated that the only time they have any difficulties was when folks came in, wished to check a concealed firearm, then could not produce an LTCF or a CCW / CHP recognized by PA

All in all, as stated, I believed these folks were cordial and well trained.

PLEASE NOTE # 1: As my destination was not one of the several court rooms, rooms for arbitration hearings, etc ... in the building I did not have the opportunity to determine if it was possible to proceed directly to the floor a Courtroom was on and find if there was a checkpoint / metal detector or if there were individual locker facilities provided there, or if I would have been redirected to the Capital Police Info desk in the lobby that I used during my visit.

PLEASE NOTE # 2: I did not breach the subject of Open Carry, license not being needed for OC, etc ... as the encounters were just so quick that I did not have the opportunity to ask...

PLEASE NOTE # 3: The Capital Police office / locker location is nearly directly across the hall from the PA State Police Recruting Office, so don't just step into the first office you see uniforms in; Capital Police are light blue shirts over dark blue pants.

... hope this helps ...

Exactly what I was looking for, Rep incoming!

[BronzeDragon]

I work in the state office building. Room 1212. PUC's Motor Carrier Enforcement. We inspect trucks and fine jitneys.

The PUC's Adminstrative Law Judges (ALJs) are on 11 and I do not believe they have lockers for their court rooms. I'll pop down there and ask though if any one cares.

I think I'll talk to the capital police about what the policy would be for employees of this building since they've got the big metal sign in the lobby "no weapons".

I wonder how annoyed they'd be with me if every morning and every evening they had to check in/out a pistol?

Cordially,

Eric

[BCI Instructor]

Originally Posted by markheck1

Exactly what I was looking for, Rep incoming!

Thank you for the courtesy of the Rep points!

[edstephan]

Excellent Report BCI Instructor Rep your way.
Good info to know
Ed

[BCI Instructor]

Originally Posted by edstephan

Excellent Report BCI Instructor Rep your way.
Good info to know
Ed

Thank you Sir