Court Security Screenings: Are they REALLY secure!
Who is worse, the one who carries the gun or the one who fails to detect it?
"Since 2006, there have been more than 200 mass killings in the United States. Well-known images from Newtown, Aurora and Virginia Tech capture the nation’s attention, but similar bloody scenes happen with alarming frequency and much less scrutiny.
USA TODAY examined FBI data -- which defines a mass killing as four or more victims... They happen far more often than the government reports, and the circumstances of those killings -- the people who commit them, the weapons they use and the forces that motivate them -- are far more predictable than many might think.
Yet no one is keeping track." (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/mass-killings/index.html#title"
We are all aware of just how dangerous and destructive it can be when a gun is placed in the hands of someone who intends to do massive harm to innocent people. While you read this true story, you need to give some thought as to who is truly more responsible here, the gun owner, or the very law that is hired to protect and serve us?
I was recently asked to attend a personal court proceeding recently at the Virginia Beach, VA Circuit Court with a friend at the last minute. I had been traveling in the recent past weeks and had just gotten around to switching my purse and travel bags and getting things back in order. I am certified with a concealed carry weapons license and, therefore, placed my handgun back in my purse. My husband reminded me the night before to remove my gun from my purse but things were hectic and I simply forgot to. I also had in my purse my medication and vape pen which I didn't think would be an issue.
Upon entering the court building we were made to go through a TSA like 'screening' which included taking off jewelry and putting our purses/bags through the screening machine. There were a total of four, yes, four, screening personnel we had to get through before entering the facility. The man at the main door had the hand wand and was supposed to scan us first. Then the 'TSA like' screening along with a justice personnel at the end of the line after you go through the body scanner.
As I walked through the body scanner, the two justice personnel who were looking in my purse through the window of the scanner stopped me and asked, "What are those bottles in your purse?" I responded, "My medication, would you like to see it?" The response, "No, but do you have a vape pen in there?" I responded, "Yes, I do". They both advised me that this was not allowed in the building and I would either have to put it in the car or, pointed to some lockers where you have to insert fifty cents, place your contents inside and keep the key until leaving the premises. This was my choice since I didn't want to have to go through the whole process again just to put it in the car. We were then bodily scanned and allowed to enter the court building.
Keep in mind that we arrived by 8:00 a.m. which is when a lot of the court employees were also arriving for work. I noticed the two male justice scanners were busy staring at a woman and having a side conversation about "that one" while they were supposed to be scanning incoming persons and materials for anything dangerous or life threatening. At this point, I was only disgusted that they were having this unprofessional conversation loud enough for those incoming to hear along with harassing and insulting terms to describe the woman.
We went about our business from one court to another, one floor to another, waiting and waiting and waiting. We finally made our way home approximately four hours later. Later that evening, I was searching my purse for something and came across; you guessed it, my gun! I was in absolute shock! As I started to tell the story of being in court all morning to family members, I said, "Guess what they missed…" and pulled out my gun. The sudden intakes of breaths were instantaneous in the room.
HOW, in the days we live in today where we have to worry about our children in schools, people at work, even our armed forces personnel being shot can a trained state security agent neglect to detect a gun in a purse but be concerned with medication bottles and a vape pen? And let us not forget that good looking woman they couldn't take their eyes off of long enough to notice the shape of a gun!
It is important to note the details of this article simply because of the major gun issues we are facing today. While I consider myself a responsible, safe, concealed carrying gun owner, this does not mean those who have been trained to protect our court systems and the people who work there have any knowledge of me whatsoever and what I am capable of. Imagine if I had ill intentions with that gun and made it past all the security so easily and able to accomplish my mission? How many lives could have been lost, families broken and damaged due to the unprofessionalism and inept security process? This experience has brought me further awareness of the seriousness of the nature of these types of events that can and do happen and has me questioning, "Why?" Who is really more responsible for these events, those with the ill intent or those who are supposed to detect it?
Who is worse, the one who carries the gun or the one who fails to detect it?
"Since 2006, there have been more than 200 mass killings in the United States. Well-known images from Newtown, Aurora and Virginia Tech capture the nation’s attention, but similar bloody scenes happen with alarming frequency and much less scrutiny.
USA TODAY examined FBI data -- which defines a mass killing as four or more victims... They happen far more often than the government reports, and the circumstances of those killings -- the people who commit them, the weapons they use and the forces that motivate them -- are far more predictable than many might think.
Yet no one is keeping track." (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/mass-killings/index.html#title"
We are all aware of just how dangerous and destructive it can be when a gun is placed in the hands of someone who intends to do massive harm to innocent people. While you read this true story, you need to give some thought as to who is truly more responsible here, the gun owner, or the very law that is hired to protect and serve us?
I was recently asked to attend a personal court proceeding recently at the Virginia Beach, VA Circuit Court with a friend at the last minute. I had been traveling in the recent past weeks and had just gotten around to switching my purse and travel bags and getting things back in order. I am certified with a concealed carry weapons license and, therefore, placed my handgun back in my purse. My husband reminded me the night before to remove my gun from my purse but things were hectic and I simply forgot to. I also had in my purse my medication and vape pen which I didn't think would be an issue.
Upon entering the court building we were made to go through a TSA like 'screening' which included taking off jewelry and putting our purses/bags through the screening machine. There were a total of four, yes, four, screening personnel we had to get through before entering the facility. The man at the main door had the hand wand and was supposed to scan us first. Then the 'TSA like' screening along with a justice personnel at the end of the line after you go through the body scanner.
As I walked through the body scanner, the two justice personnel who were looking in my purse through the window of the scanner stopped me and asked, "What are those bottles in your purse?" I responded, "My medication, would you like to see it?" The response, "No, but do you have a vape pen in there?" I responded, "Yes, I do". They both advised me that this was not allowed in the building and I would either have to put it in the car or, pointed to some lockers where you have to insert fifty cents, place your contents inside and keep the key until leaving the premises. This was my choice since I didn't want to have to go through the whole process again just to put it in the car. We were then bodily scanned and allowed to enter the court building.
Keep in mind that we arrived by 8:00 a.m. which is when a lot of the court employees were also arriving for work. I noticed the two male justice scanners were busy staring at a woman and having a side conversation about "that one" while they were supposed to be scanning incoming persons and materials for anything dangerous or life threatening. At this point, I was only disgusted that they were having this unprofessional conversation loud enough for those incoming to hear along with harassing and insulting terms to describe the woman.
We went about our business from one court to another, one floor to another, waiting and waiting and waiting. We finally made our way home approximately four hours later. Later that evening, I was searching my purse for something and came across; you guessed it, my gun! I was in absolute shock! As I started to tell the story of being in court all morning to family members, I said, "Guess what they missed…" and pulled out my gun. The sudden intakes of breaths were instantaneous in the room.
HOW, in the days we live in today where we have to worry about our children in schools, people at work, even our armed forces personnel being shot can a trained state security agent neglect to detect a gun in a purse but be concerned with medication bottles and a vape pen? And let us not forget that good looking woman they couldn't take their eyes off of long enough to notice the shape of a gun!
It is important to note the details of this article simply because of the major gun issues we are facing today. While I consider myself a responsible, safe, concealed carrying gun owner, this does not mean those who have been trained to protect our court systems and the people who work there have any knowledge of me whatsoever and what I am capable of. Imagine if I had ill intentions with that gun and made it past all the security so easily and able to accomplish my mission? How many lives could have been lost, families broken and damaged due to the unprofessionalism and inept security process? This experience has brought me further awareness of the seriousness of the nature of these types of events that can and do happen and has me questioning, "Why?" Who is really more responsible for these events, those with the ill intent or those who are supposed to detect it?