Plymouth City Ordinance Plymouth City Ordinance

965.05 Carrying of Dangerous Weapons 965.07 Aiming Prohibited. and Facsimile Firearms Prohibited. Except as authorized by law, the aiming of It shall be unlawful for any person within the any dangerous weapon or facsimile firearm, City to carry on or about his or her person or whether loaded or unloaded, at or toward transport in any vehicle any dangerous weapon any human being, building or occupied or facsimile firearm, except: vehicle is prohibited.

a) Any dangerous weapon or facsimile firearm being transported by a person not in a vehicle directly to or from his or Questions? her vehicle, in a secured container. Call (763) 509-5160

b) Transportation of any dangerous weapon or facsimile firearm in or upon Reporting Complaints any motor vehicle in a secured container Dial 9-1-1 at the time of the offense, and Fascimile or in the locked trunk of such a vehicle. a police officer will respond.

The provisions of this section shall not be Firearms and applicable to the transport of dangerous weapons or facsimile firearms by persons who “Look Alike” are regularly engaged in the lawful manufacture, distribution or sale at retail or Weapons wholesale of dangerous weapons or facsimile firearms, or the agents of any of them while engaged in such business; to the carrying or Adding Quality to Life transport of dangerous weapons or facsimile firearms by licensed, full-time peace officers, Plymouth Police Department A Guide for Parents and law enforcement officers, or military personnel 3400 Plymouth Blvd. Children while in the course of their duties; to persons Plymouth, MN 55447 holding a permit to carry a dangerous weapon 763-509-5160 (office) acting within the scope of such permit; to any plymouthmn.gov officer of a state adult correctional facility when on guard duty or otherwise engaged in an Emergency: 9-1-1 assigned duty; or to an owner or agent while he Non-Emergency: 763-525-6210 or she is present at a business place that he or she operates.

Background Definitions

In 2008, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office Dangerous Weapon announced a program to combat youth violence, Any firearms, air gun or pellet gun, whether The Juvenile Gun Offender Program. The loaded or unloaded, or any device designed initiative of the program is to reduce gun-related as a weapon and capable of producing death violence. In addition, mandatory sanctions were or great bodily harm, or any other device or adopted to better work with youth who are caught instrumentality which, in the manner it is with firearms. used or intended to be used, is calculated or likely to produce death or great bodily harm. At the same time, police are increasingly coming Especially for Parents into contact with individuals who are carrying air Facsimile Firearm It is not the intent of the Plymouth Police guns, pellet guns, and facsimile firearms, which Any object which is a replica of an actual Department to be chasing around kids who appear in many circumstances to be real weapons. firearm, which substantially duplicates an are playing, “Cops and Robbers.” However, actual firearm, unless: it is important for parents and children to In cooperation with The Juvenile Gun Offender understand the dangers inherent in playing Program, Plymouth has adopted an ordinance to 1. The entire exterior surface of such with air guns, pellet guns and any type of tighten regulations governing the possession of object is colored white, bright red, realistic looking guns, whether the gun can facsimile weapons, as well as weapons like air bright orange, bright yellow, bright actually fire a projectile or not. guns and pellet guns. green, bright blue, bright pink or bright purple, either singly or as the Please take the time to discuss the dangers The Issue predominant color in combination with with your children. Air guns, pellet guns, and facsimile weapons all other colors in any pattern, or such pose risks for officers and the general public. object is constructed entirely of  Air guns and pellet guns can cause Many of the newer air guns and pellet guns can transparent or translucent materials injuries. They can even kill. cause as great of an injury as any firearm, and which permit unmistakable  Carrying dangerous weapons or realistic they can even kill. observation of the object’s complete looking guns is illegal. contents; and  It is illegal to point any dangerous Moreover, when a police officer comes into weapon (whether loaded or unloaded) or contact with an individual carrying an air gun, 2. Such object has a blaze orange any realistic looking gun at a person, pellet gun, or facsimile weapon, the officer has to extension that extends at least six (6) building, or occupied vehicle. assume the weapon is real and that it poses a millimeters from the muzzle end of the  It is illegal to fire any projectile. danger not only to themselves, but to the public in barrel of such object which is as an general. This can, and has, forced officers to take integral part of the object and is In the past, we have had to respond to action to protect themselves and others. permanently affixed; and children who have been injured by air guns and pellet guns. These accidents are 100% The Plymouth ordinance is aimed at preventing a 3. Such object does not have a laser preventable. Working together, we can tragedy and it is also a reminder that regardless of prevent tragedies from occurring. weapon type, it is never safe to discharge any pointer attached to it. firearm in the city.