SALISBURY — A recent move by Wicomico County Council to allow certain people to carry guns in county parks is slated to take effect in less than 60 days.
The measure — only applying to those with a valid Maryland wear and carry gun permit —begins Sept. 1, according to Wicomico County Council President John Cannon.
The council voted 5-1 at a July 2 legislative meeting to amend a section related to guns in the county’s regulations for parks and recreational facilities code of laws, which included other passed amendments centered on cannabis, county boat ramps and motorized vehicles.
Councilman Josh Hastings voted no on allowing permitted gun owners to carry weapons in county parks. Previously, only law enforcement officers were allowed to carry guns in parks.
Hastings said during the July meeting that he had a lot of citizens reaching out to him, concerned that they would not feel relaxed in a spot where families and guns mixed.
“Firearms don’t make people feel comfortable is what folks wanted me to say,” Hastings said.
County residents spoke up after hearing the proposed amendments, with some opposed and others happy to see the measure pass.
“I just cannot understand how in our current situation in this country regarding firearms in public places that you are willing to allow firearms in our parks,” County resident John Ebert said. “I personally am not comfortable if I knew that there were strangers, people who are strangers to me, carrying weapons at a place that I am recreating. I would feel very uncomfortable as I think many people would feel.”
But county resident Mike Goldberg said wear and carry gun permit holders are trained, vetted and their backgrounds are thoroughly checked.
“These are trusted people to me as trusted as any police officer is,” Goldberg said. “The simple fact is that bad guys don’t obey the laws, so when you make it illegal to bring a gun into a park, you are unprotected because the bad guy is going to bring it in any way.”
Councilman Shane Baker, who has a law enforcement background, said sometimes it takes minutes for officers to get to certain situations.
“The big thing to keep in mind is there’s not always a police officer at a park,” Baker said. There’s always not a police officer at the mall. If you have an active shooter situation, and a law-abiding citizen is there who’s had the training, has been vetted and can eliminate that threat and not hurt one of your family members, that’s a good thing.
“Now, it is a huge responsibility carrying a firearm, huge, but if you’re trained properly, vetted properly; it’s a good thing.”
The discharge of guns in county parks will remain strictly prohibited except as allowed under state law.
Other passed amendments at the July legislative meeting included prohibiting the use of cannabis in county parks, making county harbor facilities accessible after hours to the general public for accessing public waterways and clarifying the locations where motorized vehicles can operate in county parks.
Reach Managing Editor Richard Caines at rcaines@iniusa.org.
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