As background, on April 17th, the Board was able to slip through a new noise ordinance that all but bans target shooting on private property on Sundays. It should be noted that Sussex is a very rural county with a few small towns scattered throughout. It became even more clear during the meeting that this was driven by forces opposing Sunday Hunting:
HUNTER: "Sunday, all day, gunfire is not allowed?" FLY: "We don't think so. This is addressing a problem we think the GA has created."
— Mike Campbell (@itsthesoup) April 30, 2014
Chairman Fly also claimed that he had been told by Sunday Hunting lobbyists that the county would see an increase of memberships in hunt clubs:
FLY: "We were told (by lobbyists) that we would see huge increases in hunt club membership with the passage of Sunday Hunting."
— Mike Campbell (@itsthesoup) May 1, 2014
Not really sure why that was relevant as hunt clubs in that area hunt with dogs and that practice is not allowed for Sunday Hunting. But the most damning statement against the new ordinance came from the Sheriff:
Sheriff Raymond Bell: There is no way for me to enforce this aspect of the noise ordinance. "Sees no way in hell for me to enforce this."
— Mike Campbell (@itsthesoup) May 1, 2014
The aspect to which the Sheriff is referring is section 5 which states:...that discharge of any firearm between the hours of midnight and 10 p.m. on any Sunday in such a manner as to permit sound to be heard inside the confines of the dwelling unit, house or apartment of another person or as to be plainly audible at a distance of 200 feet or more from its source is not allowed.
Fly stated that he supported the ordinance as written but would discuss Section 5 and two other sections with the County Attorney. VSSA will continue to monitor this and will let gun owners know if they need to plan to attend the May 15th Board meeting to show opposition and to let the Board know their action will be remembered at the next Board election if the ordinance is not repealed or changed to remove the Sunday shooting restrictions.
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2 comments:
How can a sheriff refuse to enforce a regulation when there is a complaint? If one of the people who pushed for this regulation makes a complaint and the sheriff does not investigate then he is opening himself up for a grievance by the person making the complaint. Then what happens when a new person is selected as sheriff after he runs on a platform to enforce the regulation?
Still too many unanswered questions and outright lies by the BOS for Sussex County.
Don't think he's refusing to enforce, it's that he does not have the tools necessary for him to be able to enforce based on the standard in the ordinance.
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