The Great New York State Fair is underway, and Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck is happy the Fair reversed its planned policy change which would have prohibited off-duty law enforcement officers from carrying their weapons.
Pushback from police, public leads to policy reversal
Civilians have never been allowed to carry weapons at the fair, but an exception had always been made for off-duty law enforcement. Earlier this month, the fair announced that it was doing away with the law enforcement exception. The reaction from the law enforcement community and from many members of the public was quick and negative, leading fair officials to reverse themselves the next day.
Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck says gun policies should reflect the fact that gun violence is rarely associated with properly licensed weapons and trained users.
Related: $34.7M New York State Fair improvements announced on opening day
What is the fair’s weapons policy?
From the fair website:
FIREARMS/WEAPONS
Weapons of any kind, including but not limited to firearms, whether registered or unregistered, machine guns, rifles, shotguns, antique firearms, black powder rifles, black powder shotguns, or any muzzle-loading firearms, and/or other weapons including but not limited to any variety of knife, electronic dart gun, electronic stun gun, cane sword, club, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, plastic knuckles, metal knuckles, chukka stick, sand bag, sandclub, wrist-brace type slingshot or slungshot, shuriken or “Kung Fu star”, razor, imitation pistol, or any other dangerous or deadly instrument or weapon (or an imitation thereof that could be reasonably mistaken for a deadly instrument or weapon) are prohibited from the Fairgrounds, except for those weapons authorized to be carried by law enforcement personnel and Peace Officers and those weapons on display in a Fair exhibit by authorized branches of the U.S. Military, Reserves, and National Guard, provided that the weapons are unloaded, in a safe condition, and appropriately secured while displayed.
EXCEPTION: Visitors attending organized Gun Shows at the Fairgrounds may possess firearms in an unloaded and safe condition provided that those firearms are items intended to be purchased, sold, or traded at the Gun Show.
There’s also a change in smoking policies at the fair this year. Smoking tobacco and/or marijuana and vaping will be allowed only in six designated areas.
Listen to my full Inside the FLX conversation with Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck below.
Related: This year’s butter sculpture unveiled at New York State Fair
