Democrats in New York passed restrictions on concealed carry gun laws this summer, but obstacles remain because local law enforcement officials — "constitutional sheriffs" — see the gun laws as unenforceable against the Constitution's Second Amendment.
The New York law, which went into effect Sept. 1, prohibits guns in many places, including government buildings, religious centers, healthcare facilities, homeless shelters, schools, subways, stadiums, state parks, and Times Square, The New York Times reported.
"It's basically everywhere," new Wayne County Sheriff Robert Milby told the Times. "If anyone thinks we're going to go out and take a proactive stance against this, that's not going to happen.
"It's basically been clear as mud since Sept. 1," he added. "There's a very strong sentiment in this county that the governor has just thumbed her nose at the Supreme Court, in what's being touted as an unconstitutional conniption fit. She's absolutely overstepped."
Another Republican sheriff in Fulton County vows to use discretion on enforcement, too, the Times reported.
"I have to enforce it because I swore to uphold the laws, but I can use as much discretion as I want," Sheriff Richard Giardino told the Times. "If someone intentionally flouts the law, then they're going to be handled one way. But if someone was unaware that the rules have changed, then we're not going to charge someone with a felony because they went into their barbershop with their carry concealed."
A U.S. District Court ruling Thursday also blocked portions of the law, a law the New York State Sheriffs' Association called a "thoughtless, reactionary action" to "restrain and punish law-abiding citizens," according to the report.
Niagara County sheriff says enforcing the law is not a priority.
"We will take the complaint, but it will go to the bottom of my stack," Sheriff Mike Filicetti told the Times. "There will be no arrests made without my authorization and it's a very, very low priority for me."
New York City and Albany lawmakers are out of touch with most of the state, Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood told the Times.
"The people who are doing this, a lot of them are New York City legislators and they don't have a clue," Hood said, adding "firearms are what made our country great."
"There are different people up here. It's run totally different."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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