Ross Township Community Center Gun Free zone?

[K.C.]

Last date checked 1/24/2010 Gun Free Zone. Rule #10 on the "Rules" sign posted at the entry way to the road says:

#10. No one shall possess or discharge any type of firearm, bow and arrows, airguns, slingshots or explosives in any park or playground except under the supervised program of the Ross Township Parks and Recreation Department.

[Paradigm]

Start writing those letters...

[thebearpack]

Great... now I can't claim ignorance!

[K.C.]

Start writing those letters...

I've been doing some reading and I'm pretty sure Ross Township is guilty of preemption. I'll establish my case, you tell me if I'm right?
As I already stated: Rule #10 on the "Rules" sign posted at the entry way to the road says:

#10. No one shall possess or discharge any type of firearm, bow and arrows, airguns, slingshots or explosives in any park or playground except under the supervised program of the Ross Township Parks and Recreation Department.

On the website I found this, Notice my Bold:

IT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PARKS & RECREATION DEPT. TO HAVE
HIGH STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR PROGRAMS. WE ALSO
EXPECT THIS FROM OUR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND PARTICIPANTS.
WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE ARE ALL ROLE MODELS. THEREFORE,
THIS DEPARTMENT INSISTS THAT OUR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND
PARTICIPANTS ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING POLICIES:
ALL ADULTS WORKING WITH MINORS AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO
BE LEFT ALONE WITH MINORS MUST COMPLETE A CLEARANCE
FORM.
THERE WILL BE NO TOBACCO (SMOKING OR SMOKELESS)
ALLOWED DURING OR AROUND ANY PROGRAMS.
NO ALCOHOL, BEFORE, DURING OR AROUND THE PROGRAMS.
NO FIREARMS, WHETHER LICENSED OR NOT, WILL BE ALLOWED
AROUND THE PROGRAMS.
NO PROFANITY!
PROPER AND APPROPRIATE DRESS IS REQUIRED. NO VULGAR,
ILLEGAL OR INAPPROPRIATE WORDS OR PICTURES ON CLOTHING.

Here is State law:

18 Pa.C.S. § 6120: Limitation on the regulation of firearms and ammunition
(a) General rule.--No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth.

I see a problem do you? Since I'm new to the whole preemption thing, I could use a little guidance on how to handle this. You said to start writing letters, Is there a standard letter typically sent? if so I assume we as a group (PAFOA) bombard the recipients?

[K.C.]

Hmmm... There's one thing I may be over looking. The Ross township police station shares the same building as Community Center. The Community Center is on the top floor and the police station is on the bottom. I don't know if you can access the police station from the Community Center or not. Since there would obviously be holding cells there, could the rule forbidding firearms hold some sort of ground just because the facility is there? I know it says "within" but trying to see if I'm missing anything?

§ 5122. Weapons or implements for escape.
(a) Offenses defined.--
(1) A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree
if he unlawfully introduces within a detention facility,
correctional institution or mental hospital, or unlawfully
provides an inmate thereof with any weapon, tool, implement,
or other thing which may be used for escape

[XD45]

their solicitor is looking into it, i'll post any info i get

[K.C.]

their solicitor is looking into it, i'll post any info i get

Thanks for the help.

[gnbrotz]

Even if that's the case, that would only prohibit the building itself, not the surrounding grounds or being "near any programs".

[XD45]

Even if that's the case, that would only prohibit the building itself, not the surrounding grounds or being "near any programs".

agreed.

While you can access the whole building no matter what entrance you go in, there is a locking door blocking public access to the police station itself which contains the cells so I would think it should only be that area that has restrictions.

[XD45]

On the website I found this, Notice my Bold:

IT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PARKS & RECREATION DEPT. TO HAVE
HIGH STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR PROGRAMS. WE ALSO
EXPECT THIS FROM OUR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND PARTICIPANTS.
WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE ARE ALL ROLE MODELS. THEREFORE,
THIS DEPARTMENT INSISTS THAT OUR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND
PARTICIPANTS ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING POLICIES:
ALL ADULTS WORKING WITH MINORS AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO
BE LEFT ALONE WITH MINORS MUST COMPLETE A CLEARANCE
FORM.
THERE WILL BE NO TOBACCO (SMOKING OR SMOKELESS)
ALLOWED DURING OR AROUND ANY PROGRAMS.
NO ALCOHOL, BEFORE, DURING OR AROUND THE PROGRAMS.
NO FIREARMS, WHETHER LICENSED OR NOT, WILL BE ALLOWED
AROUND THE PROGRAMS.
NO PROFANITY!
PROPER AND APPROPRIATE DRESS IS REQUIRED. NO VULGAR,
ILLEGAL OR INAPPROPRIATE WORDS OR PICTURES ON CLOTHING.

Can you link me to that? Can't seem to find it, which isnt a surprise w/ the horrible website they've got.