Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
14 <br />should have been stopped somehow if the Sheriff’s Office had something to work <br />off of. Getting the deputies trained will take time and money; it can be done if the <br />time were allotted for that. We need to come up with something to assist the <br />County Commissioners that will fit the majority in our community. <br />The group returned to its conversation after taking a brief stretch break. <br />Mr. Tilley said that if we have to have an ordinance for addressing the firearms <br />safety situation in Orange County then the best one already has been presented by <br />the Sheriff: the Lenoir County ordinance. I don’t have a clue as to why it has not <br />been adopted, he said. It addresses theissues that were brought up to the Board. In <br />my opinion, it is the SheriffDepartment’s duty to enforce whatever it is that we <br />come up with, so if they say that this ordinance fits us well then we should <br />recommend it. We might have a solution here right in front of our eyes. <br />Sheriff Blackwood had been observing the meeting, and at this point asked the <br />Committee if he could make a comment. The Committee allowed it. Sheriff <br />Blackwood said that he is not an advocate of the Lenoir County ordinance being in <br />any way pushed forward, or not. This is your task force, he said,your chance to <br />come forward with what you want to come forward with to present to the County <br />Commissioners, for them to discuss what they are going to push forward. I don’t <br />want anybody in this room to think that I am advocating anything other than you <br />guys doing what you feel is appropriate in addressing the problem. I appreciate <br />what Greg has said, he said. I have read the ordinance. It is a good ordinance for <br />Lenoir County. We have to decide what is good for Orange County. I don’t want <br />anyone on this Committee to think that I want the Lenoir County ordinance. <br />Mr. Tilley encouraged Committee members to read the Lenoir County ordinance, <br />and reiterated that from his own perspective it addresses almost everything that the <br />Committee will be trying to address. It could save us a lot of time and effort and <br />hassle. <br />Mr. Roberts then shared a handout titled, County Regulatory Authority. On one <br />side of the page there is a chart listing six areas of authority relevant to firearms <br />safety and showing whether for each area the County has full, limited, or no <br />authority. Limitations on the County’s authority (citations to State statutes) are <br />explained on the reverse side. <br />Mr. Roberts explained that forthe most part the State of North Carolina has pre- <br />empted County regulation of firearms. The County has full regulatory authority