Commissioners: Visitors can openly carry guns in almost all Sedgwick County buildings

Within a few days, you’ll be able to carry a holstered loaded firearm into almost all county buildings.

On Tuesday, Sedgwick County commissioners ordered signs prohibiting open carry removed from all county buildings.

Guns will still be banned from the Sedgwick County Courthouse and juvenile court and in internal areas of county correctional facilities.

The no-open-carry signs have already been removed at Comcare, the county's mental-health agency, and the Historic Courthouse. They also were to be removed from the door to the lobby and records office at the Sedgwick County Jail.

Commissioner Jim Howell said the signs were put up last year by the county administration without authorization by a commission vote.

County Manager William Buchanan said the previous commissioners individually authorized him and his staff to place the approximately 250 signs on buildings throughout the county.

Howell, a strong supporter of both open and concealed carry, took office in January.

He said removing the signs is consistent with the intent of voters, who in 2010 overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing individuals the right to carry firearms to defend themselves and their families.

He said the signs on county buildings indicate the county doesn’t trust people to do that and sends the wrong message.

“I know lots of people who open carry,” Howell said. “Not one of them I would be concerned about in any of those buildings.”

This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Commissioners: Visitors can openly carry guns in almost all Sedgwick County buildings."