Riverfront Federal credit union Reading PA.... no guns allowed now

[Joe88XJ]

I walked out of the Reading branch of Riverfront Federal Credit union today with a large sum of money in my pocket (not that that matters) and the unarmed security guard is standing outside. As I go to walk past him he says hi and points at the entrance doors to the new little stickers that state "no weapons". I didn't notice them cause I they weren't there 2 days ago, I have talked to this guard before and he was nice, I spent about 15 minutes discussing Pa gun law with him before I leave. He knows I am not happy about the new policy, I tell him I will make my complaint to the proper people because that's not him. A little about me, I work in rough neighborhoods rehabbing rental properties, I carry a G19 in a safariland 6000 series holster. I have been open carrying for about 2 years and I am very comfortable with it. I carry openly EVERYWHERE! And I always stop for a minute and talk with anybody who comments or asks. I usually get thumbs up for it from most people. Only one movie theatre and now 1 credit union that have asked me not to carry.

So I call and ask for a manager, the woman who answers asks what I am calling about so I tell her. She gets a woman named Jaime on the phone who states she is right under the CEO in terms of the corporate chain. I ask her why they have decided to ban guns from their institution, she states "for the safety of her staff and customers". I ask her why she would think a law abiding citizen would be a threat to her staff and customers, she has a wishy washy answer ( more about this later) she hints at the possibility of an armed individual getting into a confrontation with somebody in the credit union.

I say that would only happen if my life were in danger, I tell her about the mental patient about a year ago who shot and killed a nurse before he was shot and killed by the patients doctor who wasn't allowed to have a gun, about how the PR person for the institution in question issued a statement in the newspaper about how much they regretted what happened to the nurse and that they were doing whatever they could to offer support to the nurses family...but bottom line is the nurse was killed and no gesture or apology will bring her back. I ask her if she can guarantee my safety in her parking lot and the credit union, she basicly says no. I ask her why the credit union has decided to strip me of my rights, rights that 2 other banks have no problem with, walmart, target, the grocery store...98% of the state has no problem with this. I tell her I don't understand why an organization with roots in the community that is supposed to be for the people would decide to strip me of my rights to protect myself. She says that its not her intention to strip me of my rights about 5 times before I remind her the road to hell is paved with good intentions and whether she intended to do so or not she is doing just that. She tells me I can use the drive thru to get around the no weapons policy, I tell her that I cant support a business that doesn't support my rights.

It becomes clear that I am not going to get anywhere with her so I ask how I can make a complaint above her on the food chain, she says she can transfer me into the CEO's voicemail, I say please do. So I leave a message and to my surprise I get a call back pretty fast. The Ceo calls me back and was a real nice guy, he has a strong southern accent tells me he is a card carrying member of the NRA that moved here from the south to manage the credit union and has a 44 magnum pistol in his jeep in the parking lot, he tells me he totally understands my perspective (And honestly I believe him) but he has to put this policy in place because to be honest with me his staff and customers are terrified of guns, he tells me the credit union has been robbed 3 times and quite frankly people are afraid when they see a gun.

I tell him what we all say, that I wear it in the open to bring peoples attention to the rights that they don't know they have and I try to educate people about their rights and there is no reason to be afraid, he says he understands but the majority don't. He goes on to say that its the banks policy to cooperate with a robber and that if a patron is armed and decides to be a hero, the odds of somebody getting hurt is much higher. I tell him I understand what he is saying but theres no way I am going to disarm myself and lay on the floor during a robbery cowering in fear for my life unarmed. That I will most likely close my accounts and move the business I was doing with them to another institution about 2 miles away. He says he hopes to keep my business. conversation ends there. Please if you have accounts at this institution make a complaint, the CEO did say that maybe one day he could change the policy depending on feedback from members, so we need to protest this as much as possible.

[Gunsnwater]

Pm me with the voice mail, I belong for 30 some years.

[JenniferG]

I walked out of the Reading branch of Riverfront Federal Credit union today with a large sum of money in my pocket (not that that matters) and the unarmed security guard is standing outside. As I go to walk past him he says hi and points at the entrance doors to the new little stickers that state "no weapons". I didn't notice them cause I they weren't there 2 days ago, I have talked to this guard before and he was nice, I spent about 15 minutes discussing Pa gun law with him before I leave. He knows I am not happy about the new policy, I tell him I will make my complaint to the proper people because that's not him. A little about me, I work in rough neighborhoods rehabbing rental properties, I carry a G19 in a safariland 6000 series holster. I have been open carrying for about 2 years and I am very comfortable with it. I carry openly EVERYWHERE! And I always stop for a minute and talk with anybody who comments or asks. I usually get thumbs up for it from most people. Only one movie theatre and now 1 credit union that have asked me not to carry.

So I call and ask for a manager, the woman who answers asks what I am calling about so I tell her. She gets a woman named Jaime on the phone who states she is right under the CEO in terms of the corporate chain. I ask her why they have decided to ban guns from their institution, she states "for the safety of her staff and customers". I ask her why she would think a law abiding citizen would be a threat to her staff and customers, she has a wishy washy answer ( more about this later) she hints at the possibility of an armed individual getting into a confrontation with somebody in the credit union.

I say that would only happen if my life were in danger, I tell her about the mental patient about a year ago who shot and killed a nurse before he was shot and killed by the patients doctor who wasn't allowed to have a gun, about how the PR person for the institution in question issued a statement in the newspaper about how much they regretted what happened to the nurse and that they were doing whatever they could to offer support to the nurses family...but bottom line is the nurse was killed and no gesture or apology will bring her back. I ask her if she can guarantee my safety in her parking lot and the credit union, she basicly says no. I ask her why the credit union has decided to strip me of my rights, rights that 2 other banks have no problem with, walmart, target, the grocery store...98% of the state has no problem with this. I tell her I don't understand why an organization with roots in the community that is supposed to be for the people would decide to strip me of my rights to protect myself. She says that its not her intention to strip me of my rights about 5 times before I remind her the road to hell is paved with good intentions and whether she intended to do so or not she is doing just that. She tells me I can use the drive thru to get around the no weapons policy, I tell her that I cant support a business that doesn't support my rights.

It becomes clear that I am not going to get anywhere with her so I ask how I can make a complaint above her on the food chain, she says she can transfer me into the CEO's voicemail, I say please do. So I leave a message and to my surprise I get a call back pretty fast. The Ceo calls me back and was a real nice guy, he has a strong southern accent tells me he is a card carrying member of the NRA that moved here from the south to manage the credit union and has a 44 magnum pistol in his jeep in the parking lot, he tells me he totally understands my perspective (And honestly I believe him) but he has to put this policy in place because to be honest with me his staff and customers are terrified of guns, he tells me the credit union has been robbed 3 times and quite frankly people are afraid when they see a gun.

I tell him what we all say, that I wear it in the open to bring peoples attention to the rights that they don't know they have and I try to educate people about their rights and there is no reason to be afraid, he says he understands but the majority don't. He goes on to say that its the banks policy to cooperate with a robber and that if a patron is armed and decides to be a hero, the odds of somebody getting hurt is much higher. I tell him I understand what he is saying but theres no way I am going to disarm myself and lay on the floor during a robbery cowering in fear for my life unarmed. That I will most likely close my accounts and move the business I was doing with them to another institution about 2 miles away. He says he hopes to keep my business. conversation ends there. Please if you have accounts at this institution make a complaint, the CEO did say that maybe one day he could change the policy depending on feedback from members, so we need to protest this as much as possible.

Good job of educating and promoting our rights.

[knight0334]

Pm me with the voice mail, I belong for 30 some years.

Doing so might be a violation of communications laws in PA.

I'm sure the OP didn't provide a disclosure that the voicemail may be distributed. And a voicemail could very well be construed to be a private communication since it was meant to be heard only by the receiving party.

[bogey1]

Good job op.

[Royinmontco]

I think he meant the vmail number.

[alpacaheat]

Well, you handled it well but if it were me, I would immediately start closing all accounts with them and make sure they know why in writing. Copy the corporate office, the local branch and maybe even see if they have a Facebook page you can throw it up on so other members can be made aware that they're not wanted in the building.

[unclejumbo]

They're terrified of guns because they've been robbed three times. Now, they've put a sticker on the door and all robbers will be stymied at the door as they try and figure how not to break the rules of the bank while robbing it. It makes perfect sense to me.

It always comes back to the truism that you can't fix stupid.

[OwnTheRide]

They're terrified of guns because they've been robbed three times. Now, they've put a sticker on the door and all robbers will be stymied at the door as they try and figure how not to break the rules of the bank while robbing it. It makes perfect sense to me.

It always comes back to the truism that you can't fix stupid.

I think the CEO's point was that because they've been robbed three times, personnel get jumpy if they see any guns. That makes sense. It's not a good reason to ban carry, but I can at least see how they got there.

[Statkowski]

What will they do when they get robbed a fourth time? Put up two gunbuster signs?