In response to a ban passed on legal CCW by The Colorado State University Board of Governors, Sheriff James Alderden states:
“I have told the CSU police chief I will not support this in any way,” Sheriff Alderden told The Gazette. “If anyone with one of my permits gets arrested for concealed carry at CSU, I will refuse to book that person into my jail. Furthermore, I will show up at court and testify on that person’s behalf, and I will do whatever I can to discourage a conviction. I will not be a party to this very poor decision.”
And:
“This ban, which is broad and encompassing, basically denies students at the Fort Collins campus any defensive capacity at all,” Alderden said. “It’s a weapons-free zone for law-abiding people, and it won’t do a single thing to keep armed criminals off of campus. It will only ensure them a lot of defenseless victims. The people who did this are lost in their own world of ideological liberalism. You would think people involved in academia would want to deal in data and experience, but this has been all about emotion.”
This LEO has brass balls, stands up for principle, citizens 2A Rights, and obviously “gets it” when it comes to such a ban only putting more people at risk.
Such an LEO in this day and age is rare, so I hope everyone will send him some support however they can! There’s also a poll to take. Rest of article:
This is indeed a great story, but I have to dissagree with your comment posted above. Trust me, the majority of the street coppers I know and work with, even here in Obama-Land (Chicago), are strong supporters of the 2nd Amendment. In my experience, it is mostly the new guys/gals that come on the job that have never been exposed to firearms prior to getting here that have an issue with guns in the hands of law abiding citizens in general. And I do all I can to bring them into reality.
However, I will agree that as a Chief law enforcement Officer, this Sheriff sounds like the definition of a “Stand up Guy”, but his stance on the 2nd Amendment is not rare at all in the LEO community.
It is kind of rare at the leadership level. Almost every non-appointee cop (ie non chief/asst chief type) I know support the 2A strongly or have never thought about it really. Most of the stories you hear from chiefs, sheriffs, etc are more anti than pro. A lot of it depends on where they are of course. If the liberals are paying their bills they are more likely to be anti, and if in a conservative (generally more rural) area, they tend to be more pro.
The chief/sheriff/admin are the ones that get the press time and get to make the public statements which is why we dwell on what they say and give them credit where credit is due…
I’m not saying most street LEOs don’t support civi 2A Rights. To a man, all the guys I know and or work with are strong supporters of the 2nd Amendment. That’s very different then publicly stating, as head of a PD, to the possible detriment of your future career, that you plan to essentially ignore college policies on guns because you feel the policy will put law abiding citizens at risk.
If anyone wants to drop him a line of support, I believe this will do it:
Saying to “Joe Citizen” about supporting second amendment rights and standing up to other Gov entities publicly are two different things. How many LEO’s have publicly stood up to another Gov entity and made any statement like that? He has a real backbone.
I have heard support for the 2nd when there were like minded people in the room from LEO’s, but I have never been in a room with LEO’s and a bunch of opposer’s to the 2nd, so I have no idea what is said by the same LEO’s then. Neither am I jumping to conclusions here, I have often wondered how that conversation usually goes.
I read your stance on the The Colorado State University Board of Governors decision to ban campus CCW. You sir, are a hero! For decades liberal elitists have shoved pacifism in the face of predators down our throats. Deciding to be a victim rather than being responsible for yourself and your loved ones is not noble. It’s stupid and unproductive. For you to call them on their ignorance is one of the best things I’ve heard in quite a while. They’re not used to someone standing up to them. They usually have a captive audience who must do as they say. I commend you as a responsible member of your community and a good steward of our God given rights. Thank you Sir!
Great to hear the Sheriff is standing up for the people you are sworn to serve and protect!!!
As a one time CSU student I applaud his stance and encourage the students and alumni to stand with him in this important fight for their rights!
From the website poll
College gun ban
Should Colorado State students ignore the new weapons ban, as one sheriff suggests?
Yes, they should ignore the ban
93%
No, they should obey the campus rules
6%
I don’t know
0%
I don’t care
0%
Total Votes: 3576
Email I sent to the Sheriff’s Office
Thank you Sheriff Alderden for standing up for the rights of the people you are sworn to serve and protect.
As a former CSU student I plan to encourage the students, faculty, staff and alumni of CSU to stand with you in this important fight for their rights!
I am writing to inform you of how upset I am that you have recently instituted a campus weapons ban.
This ban will not make your campus safer but will only encourage criminals to prey upon your students, faculty and staff.
As a former CSU student I was considering sending my son and daughter (17 and 19 respectively) to your university. However, due to this decision I will no longer consider CSU as a possibility and will be looking elsewhere for my children’s education.
I hope you will reconsider your decision and if so I will gladly pursue sending my student to your school. Otherwise I will be encouraging the students, faculty, and staff of CSU to protest loudly against this infringement of their Second Amendment rights and personal safety. May God forbid another campus event like Virginia Tech. Your decision has clearly increased the likelihood of a similar tragedy occurring on your campus.