(Bent County, CO) -- As of the first week of December there have been changes to the lawful carry of firearms in county and district court offices and facilities in the 16th Judicial District, Bent, Crowley and Otero counties.
Chief Judge of the 16th District, Mark MacDonnell issued an administrative order which outlined the changes. The following is an excerpt from the order.
This order prohibits persons from bringing firearms or other deadly weapons, concealed or not concealed, into areas of the Bent County Courthouse designated as a judicial facility. The areas which constitute a "judicial facility" in the Bent County Courthouse are the second and third floors of the building including: the County or District Courtroom, common areas utilized by the Courts and their patrons, the court clerk’s office, the probation office, judges' chambers, private offices, and any other area located on the second and third floors in which judicial or judicial related functions occur. “Judicial facility” also includes the building entrances and exits on the second floor utilized by persons doing court business.
Law enforcement would still be allowed to carry firearms along with a member of the military or security personnel. The order would also allow the safe storage of a firearm on county grounds in the parking lot while doing business inside the court facilities.
Judge MacDonnell's order also doesn't apply to the basement of the courthouse where County Commissioners hold regular meetings or the office of the County Administrator.
Earlier this year, Bent County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 2024-15, which would allow lawfully carrying a firearm inside any building owned by the county, which included the courthouse. Commissioners passed and adopted the resolution in response to a Colorado Senate Bill signed into law, 24-131, that Colorado could have a say on where a person could carry a firearm in spaces deemed sensitive to include government buildings.
Chief Judge MacDonnell explained in the order that before this bill was signed into law, there have been incidents of violence or threats of violence in Colorado courthouses. Because going to court can bring about strong emotions and feelings an assurance of safety can't be given if firearms or other deadly weapons are allowed to be present.
The order instructs the Sheriffs of the counties to enforce the order.
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