St. Paris police chief for carrying a gun openly off duty at Champaign cty fair

[M-Quigley]

I thought the law allowed carrying at fairs in Ohio provided you didn't go into any bldg's with a no guns sign, bldg's that supposedly can house a fair board meeting (which at Darke county they literally have had no guns signs on every bldg, including the restrooms )

https://www.whio.com/news/local/police- ... YEVD2YP6A/

On Sunday at around 6 p.m., deputies working at the Champaign County Fairgrounds were advised that Eric Smith, the St. Paris Police Chief, was open carrying a firearm with his police badge while off-duty, according to a spokesperson for the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies located Smith and told him to return his firearm to his vehicle or to leave the fair, the spokesperson said.

At approximately 6:18 p.m., deputies located Smith in the area of the rides/midway of the fairgrounds. His firearm and St. Paris police badge were clearly visible, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson noted that Smith was not working nor did he have any jurisdiction at the Champaign County Fair.

Smith was told to return his firearm to his vehicle and to leave the fair.

Smith reportedly refused and said that he was not going to return his firearm to his vehicle and was going to continue carrying while at the fair. He was then advised that it was a direct order from Champaign County Sheriff Matthew Melvin that if Smith was not working as a law enforcement officer at the fair then his firearm needed to be returned to his vehicle. He refused again, the spokesperson said.

Shortly after, Smith was spotted by other deputies and was still openly carrying his firearm and his badge.

Smith was then arrested and trespassed for the remainder of the fair, the spokesperson said.

He was transported to Tri-County Regional Jail and charged with obstructing official business and criminal trespass.

[Brian D.]

We had success with a few county fairgrounds through the years, but usually they play stall ball until the event is over for the year. And I'd bet a deep fried Twinkie® (from their row of carny food trucks), that those fairs which stopped posting when we showed up in numbers and carried, have crawfished back to their old illegal ways.

[qmti]

In recent years Champaign county fair post NO GUNS signs during the fair. They take them down when fair ends since auctions conducted there often sell guns.

[Brian D.]

In recent years Champaign county fair post NO GUNS signs during the fair. They take them down when fair ends since auctions conducted there often sell guns.

Yeah, that's typical behavior. Some county fairgrounds host gun shows at times, you'll see the No Guns signs temporarily removed or haphazardly taped over for the weekend.

[M-Quigley]

We had success with a few county fairgrounds through the years, but usually they play stall ball until the event is over for the year. And I'd bet a deep fried Twinkie® (from their row of carny food trucks), that those fairs which stopped posting when we showed up in numbers and carried, have crawfished back to their old illegal ways.

So I tried to find using a search about previous arrests, because this isn't the first time this has happened (to non LEO's anyway) and was not successful, it is illegal, right? I'm a little confused. Did what I post in the OP is true or not? Is it really illegal for county fairs to prohibit law abiding people, whether they are police chiefs or not, from merely walking past the fairgrounds gate with a holstered handgun? And if I'm wrong, then why is more than one fair have a no guns sign at the walk in entrance but putting "no guns" signs on buildings that literally don't have anything in them except men's and women's restrooms? Why even bother to do that if it's illegal at the gate?

[JustaShooter]

We had success with a few county fairgrounds through the years, but usually they play stall ball until the event is over for the year. And I'd bet a deep fried Twinkie® (from their row of carny food trucks), that those fairs which stopped posting when we showed up in numbers and carried, have crawfished back to their old illegal ways.

So I tried to find using a search about previous arrests, because this isn't the first time this has happened (to non LEO's anyway) and was not successful, it is illegal, right? I'm a little confused. Did what I post in the OP is true or not? Is it really illegal for county fairs to prohibit law abiding people, whether they are police chiefs or not, from merely walking past the fairgrounds gate with a holstered handgun? And if I'm wrong, then why is more than one fair have a no guns sign at the walk in entrance but putting "no guns" signs on buildings that literally don't have anything in them except men's and women's restrooms? Why even bother to do that if it's illegal at the gate?

For all but a couple of counties, you are correct (and I don't remember which are the exceptions). Agricultural societies are considered political subdivisions of the State of Ohio, and as such, cannot prohibit carry in the fairgrounds, but can in buildings that are considered "government facilities" and are not primarily restrooms, shelters, or rest areas.

MWSY used to be our go-to for fixing those that are in violation but life got in the way some years back.

(I'll look to see if I can find the list of counties that are legally allowed to restrict carry since their fairs are not run by AG societies that are political subdivisions.)

[JustaShooter]

According to this, https://agri.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/g ... e0-oNFwcpZ

only Albany, Attica, Barlow, Bellville, Hartford, Loudonville, and Richwood counties are "Independent" fairs, so if I understand correctly, are the only ones able to post the entire fairgrounds as no-carry zones.

The rest are operated by Agricultural Societies, which are political subdivisions of the State of Ohio, and are generally operated on fairgrounds owned by their respective counties. As such, they cannot legally post anything except buildings that are considered "government facilities" and are not primarily restrooms, shelters, or rest areas. (Whether or not a barn is considered a "shelter" under this statute is another discussion...)

[Brian D.]

In a related vein, before "rest area carry" was legalized by Ohio, even those few old roadside spots along U.S. and state highways were considered off limits to carry, whether the restrooms were actual buildings, or just 20th century outhouses, or Port O Lets.

I once told an ODOT official in Columbus that those outhouses and Port O Lets sure smelled like government employees might be working inside them, perhaps causing some confusion.

No one in OFCC leadership ever considered me a diplomat, more like an agent provocateur.

[M-Quigley]

We had success with a few county fairgrounds through the years, but usually they play stall ball until the event is over for the year. And I'd bet a deep fried Twinkie® (from their row of carny food trucks), that those fairs which stopped posting when we showed up in numbers and carried, have crawfished back to their old illegal ways.

So I tried to find using a search about previous arrests, because this isn't the first time this has happened (to non LEO's anyway) and was not successful, it is illegal, right? I'm a little confused. Did what I post in the OP is true or not? Is it really illegal for county fairs to prohibit law abiding people, whether they are police chiefs or not, from merely walking past the fairgrounds gate with a holstered handgun? And if I'm wrong, then why is more than one fair have a no guns sign at the walk in entrance but putting "no guns" signs on buildings that literally don't have anything in them except men's and women's restrooms? Why even bother to do that if it's illegal at the gate?

For all but a couple of counties, you are correct (and I don't remember which are the exceptions). Agricultural societies are considered political subdivisions of the State of Ohio, and as such, cannot prohibit carry in the fairgrounds, but can in buildings that are considered "government facilities" and are not primarily restrooms, shelters, or rest areas.

MWSY used to be our go-to for fixing those that are in violation but life got in the way some years back.

(I'll look to see if I can find the list of counties that are legally allowed to restrict carry since their fairs are not run by AG societies that are political subdivisions.)

Regarding the bolded part, the last time I was there, the Darke county fairgrounds had every building posted, including a building that literally is only a restroom and nothing else. If you carried you literally could not go to the bathroom anywhere on the grounds without violating the law (unless I guess if you had or knew someone with a travel trailer parked there)

Someone on another forum claims that the police chief supported a different sheriff's candidate in the March primary, and the current sheriff lost, and possibly this is some kind of retaliation over that?