When and Where is it Ok to Open Carry in Colorado

[Mark Anthony Segura]

Hey all,

I just bought a new Glock 23 and do not yet have my CCW. I am in the process of applying, but I want to be able to carry until I get it. I work in Security and can easily get away with it while in uniform, but in plain clothes I'd like to be able to carry. Does anybody know exactly when and where in Colorado it is not ok to OC?

Thanks

 

[NavyLCDR]

Your biggest problem is going to be that within 1000' of a school on public property is prohibited by Federal law. In general, Denver County is prohibted, everywhere else in the state is preempted by state law. State law will contain the specific places firearms are prohibited such as courthouses.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/colorado.pdf

 

[Deserteagle]

Your biggest problem is going to be that within 1000' of a school on public property is prohibited by Federal law. In general, Denver County is prohibted, everywhere else in the state is preempted by state law. State law will contain the specific places firearms are prohibited such as courthouses.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/colorado.pdf

What he said. Outside of school zones, federal buildings, and Denver, you can open carry everywhere except Ikea (screw them), and dumb Gander Mountain (they want to check your gun if you bring one in the store)

 

[Treo]

Hey all,

I just bought a new Glock 23 and do not yet have my CCW. I am in the process of applying, but I want to be able to carry until I get it. I work in Security and can easily get away with it while in uniform, but in plain clothes I'd like to be able to carry. Does anybody know exactly when and where in Colorado it is not ok to OC?

Thanks

Troll post?

The bolded sentence makes me really wonder. As a licensed security guard in Colorado I can tell you that unless your MGL has a specific Firearms authorized endorsement you cannot “easily get away” with open carrying a firearm and you may even get arrested or fired on the spot.

I have about five years of experience in the security field all in Colorado and all as a licensed, unarmed, merchant guard.

In my experience in order to work as a licensed armed guard you must have an armed endorsement on your license and you must be on an armed post. If either of those conditions is not met you are carrying your weapon illegally as well as outside the scope of your duties. As such you, not your employer, are 100% legally liable for any use of your firearm.

Security companies pay for different levels of liability insurance and the rider for an armed guard is about four times more expensive than that for an unarmed guard. Some clients also contractually obligate the security company to pay a fine if a guard is found on site with an unauthorized weapon.

With regard to any company I have ever worked for, in any situation where a guard was found with an unauthorized weapon on site he has been terminated immediately, no questions asked and no appeals.

It has also been my experience that the security field is a small world (at least in Colorado Springs) if you are terminated for carrying an unauthorized weapon it is likely that you will not be working in the industry again.

 

[Mark Anthony Segura]

I can't find anything about a Firearms authorized endorsement for a Denver Merchant Guard license. Do you have a link to anything that shows this. I have been going through the City of Denver's website and cannot find anything. No application for an endorsement for my license, nor any mention of the endorsement.

 

[Mark Anthony Segura]

I am not trolling. When I said that, I meant that I carry while working, not just throw on a uniform so I can open carry. I am just wary of open carrying when not in uniform and working. Also, like I said, I know nothing about a Firearms Authorized endorsement on my Denver Merchant Guard license. I tried looking in to it and will continue to do so, but I cannot find anything on it. If you know where I can find any information on it, please let me know. I am honestly just trying to be a responsible gun owner and do not want anything to become a problem for me or anyone else. I am waiting for my CCW, but I want to avoid leaving my gun at home and in my vehicle as much as possible. I feel it is most useful and most safe on my hip than anywhere else. I live in an apartment and maintenance and management do have access to my unit any time they wish, so I do not want my firearm left there when I am not there, regardless of whether it is locked up, which it always is, or not.

 

[Treo]

I am not trolling. When I said that, I meant that I carry while working, not just throw on a uniform so I can open carry.

Please clarify; are you saying that you openly carry an unauthorized firearm while on shift? Please allow me to repost the following?

With regard to any company I have ever worked for, in any situation where a guard was found with an unauthorized weapon on site he has been terminated immediately, no questions asked and no appeals.

I am just wary of open carrying when not in uniform and working. Also, like I said, I know nothing about a Firearms Authorized endorsement on my Denver Merchant Guard license. I tried looking in to it and will continue to do so, but I cannot find anything on it. If you know where I can find any information on it, please let me know. I am honestly just trying to be a responsible gun owner and do not want anything to become a problem for me or anyone else. I am waiting for my CCW, but I want to avoid leaving my gun at home and in my vehicle as much as possible. I feel it is most useful and most safe on my hip than anywhere else. I live in an apartment and maintenance and management do have access to my unit any time they wish, so I do not want my firearm left there when I am not there, regardless of whether it is locked up, which it always is, or not.

Again, I have to wonder about the bolded text "responsible" gun owners don't carry guns illegally

Article IV, Division 2

Sec. 38-117. Dangerous or deadly weapons--Prohibitions.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, except a law enforcement officer in the performance of duty, to wear under their clothes, or concealed about their person any dangerous or deadly weapon, including, but not by way of limitation, any pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, air gun, gas operated gun, spring gun, sling shot, blackjack, nunchaku, brass knuckles or artificial knuckles of any substance whatsoever, or any switchblade knife, gravity knife, or any knife having a blade greater than three and one-half (3 1/2) inches in length, or any explosive device, incendiary device or bomb, or other dangerous or deadly weapon.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person, except a law enforcement officer in the performance of duty, to carry, use or wear any dangerous or deadly weapon, including, but not by way of limitation, any pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, air gun, gas operated gun, spring gun, sling shot, blackjack, nunchaku, brass knuckles or artificial knuckles of any substance whatsoever, or switchblade knife, gravity knife, or any knife having a blade greater than three and one-half (3 1/2) inches in length, or any explosive device, incendiary device or bomb, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon.

[snip]

(f) It shall not be an offense under 38-117(a) or 38-117(b) if:

(1) The person, at the time of carrying the concealed weapon, holds a valid written permit to carry a concealed weapon issued pursuant to section 18-12-105.1, C.R.S., prior to its repeal, or, if the weapon involved was a handgun, holds a valid permit or a temporary emergency permit to carry a concealed handgun issued pursuant to state law and is otherwise carrying the handgun in conformance with any applicable state or local law; or

(2) The person is carrying the weapon concealed within a private automobile or other private means of conveyance, for hunting or for lawful protection of such person's or another person's person or property, while travelling, and the weapon is not an explosive device, incendiary device, or a bomb. If the weapon is a firearm being transported for hunting, it shall be unloaded while being carried within the private automobile or other private means of conveyance.
Link Removed

You can keep your gun in your car not on your hip

 

[Mark Anthony Segura]

I do not want to carry illegally and do not. When I carry with a uniform it is when I am working an armed post. I am not carrying an unauthorized weapon and I am only carry when authorized. I understand your argument, but I just want you to know that as of right now, the only time I carry it is at work on armed posts when it is authorized for me to. My gun stays unloaded and locked in the case. I know what I am supposed to do for CCW. I am just unclear on the Open Carry laws of Colorado and just want to know if it is ok to carry openly until I do get my CCW. Like I said, I want to be responsible. When I said "get away with it," I did not mean that in the sense of me cheating or breaking the law. I meant it in that I do carry openly when in uniform working an armed post, but not when it is unauthorized.

 

[Treo]

I’ve have searched high and low and I can not find a link on the net but I know from personal experience that you can not work in the state of Colorado as a licensed armed guard w/out a firearms endorsement on your license.

You can work as a proprietary guard armed but not licensed.

What company do you work for?

 

[Raider-3]

Just don't open carry in denver or Vail. I loosely say its legal everywhere else because some other cities make it a bit complicated, like pueblo, bans open carry in places like parks. Its not black and white, especially if you live in the metro area. I work for a security contractor in Colorado. My employer issues us sidearms. Its meant to be carried when I am in uniform and on duty, and to and from my home. Everything else I carry a firearm I personally own.

 

[Deserteagle]

Just don't open carry in denver or Vail. I loosely say its legal everywhere else because some other cities make it a bit complicated, like pueblo, bans open carry in places like parks. Its not black and white, especially if you live in the metro area. I work for a security contractor in Colorado. My employer issues us sidearms. Its meant to be carried when I am in uniform and on duty, and to and from my home. Everything else I carry a firearm I personally own.

Care to show where in the law it says you cannot open carry in Vail?

 

[Treo]

Pueblo, bans open carry in places like parks.

Colorado has state premption Pueblo can't ban open carry in parks.

Co Springs had to change all the signs in all the parks becuase of it.

 

[Beau]

Without a CHP you must follow the 1000' school zone law. Which is near impossible to do, especially when driving.

The city and county of Denver has a enforceable ban on OC. This includes any property owned or under the direct control of Denver.

Localities may legally ban OC in public areas but the area must be posted at every entrance to the area where they want to ban.

I have been OC'ing for years. I have only had a couple problems and they were with stores asking me to leave due to complaining customers.

 

[Raider-3]

I stand corrected, Vail does not have a oc ban

 

[jd_mitchell]

What he said. Outside of school zones, federal buildings, and Denver, you can open carry everywhere except Ikea (screw them), and dumb Gander Mountain (they want to check your gun if you bring one in the store)

The local Cabella's posted that all weapons shall be open & checked (CCW holders excepted). Not sure about any other Cabellas

 

[Chunky.38]

Yall sure have alot to say without being helpful in the slightest.


May Not Carry:

On any real property or improvements of any public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school (though firearms may be kept in a locked motor vehicle, loaded if you have a CHP, or unloaded if you do not).

In any public building in which security personnel and electronic weapons screening devices are permanently installed.

Any private property where not allowed by owner, tenant, employer, or business entity.

If you are under the influence of intoxicating liquor or of a controlled substance.

Any building owned or leased by a federal government authority for the purpose of conducting business with the public.

A prison or any other detention facility.

Inside the secured area of any airport, however a person may carry any legal firearm into the terminal that is encased for shipment purposes and checked as baggage to be lawfully transported on an aircraft pursuant to airline and TSA regulations.



You can carry anywhere as long as you fall inside those guidelines but like someone mentioned earlier there are grey areas. For the most part you won't have issues with law enforcement officers. If you have any other questions regarding your rights and the state or local law, you can always ask an officer. They are public servants who are educated on the prior and current laws.

 

[NavyLCDR]

If you have any other questions regarding your rights and the state or local law, you can always ask an officer. They are public servants who are educated on the prior and current laws.

Asking a LEO for legal advice is like asking the high school kid at Jiffy Lube to tune your race car to start in the Indy 500. A couple years ago a group of us pro-2A people attended a meeting of our local democrats where the subject was gun laws and the "expert" panel included the county sheriff and local chief of police (Washington state). When one of the audience asked the panel why it was legal for "them" (meaning us) to be carrying our firearms in the public library where the meeting was being held, the sheriff answered "Because there is no sign saying they can't" and the chief of police agreed. I spoke up and stated (correctly), "No, the reason it is legal for us to carry our firearms here is because RCW 9.41.290 prohibits local governments from enacting firearms prohibitions except as provided for in RCW 9.41.300 and RCW 9.41.300 only allows bans in convention centers and stadiums operated by municipalities and even then CPL holders are exempt from those prohibitions. For the county or city to put a sign up on the library prohibiting firearms would be a violation of state law."

There are thousands and thousands of pages of laws between your state, county, and city laws and ordinances. Your run of the mill LEO is only going to know a very scant handful of those laws. Only a fool would take legal advice from a police officer unless it was accompanied by a cite to the exact section of law/ordinances in question. However, that being said, the LEO is more likely to mistakenly tell you that something is illegal when it really isn't. But if the LEO tells you it is legal - how much of a defense do you think that will be when you are standing before a judge for violating the law (hint: none).