Riverbend Time: an experience from last year.

[DaveTN]

I don't see how..........

Then you need to find out. You want to carry on about public officials being fired or jailed, yet you don’t care enough to find out under what authority they take these actions.

Why don’t you make it your goal to get to the bottom of this and let us know?

[JayC]

Then you need to find out. You want to carry on about public officials being fired or jailed, yet you don’t care enough to find out under what authority they take these actions.

Why don’t you make it your goal to get to the bottom of this and let us know?

I've already describe the only legal way I can think of for a city council to do it... which is to annex the street into a park, and include that street in the park ordinance as per current state law. But, that would require that the street be a city owned and managed street, not a county or state managed street since they couldn't annex a street owned/managed by another entity. That would be a very drawn out process in most cities, requiring 3 readings to implement, and 3 readings to de-annex the street, my *guess* is that they're not going through the trouble to do so.

It's not directly impacting me, it just goes to show we need to remove the ability for all levels of governments to post public land, and maybe even public buildings. (With exceptions that only places which are off limits to all persons no matter their job title can be made off limits to permit holders).

If it was happening here in Nashville, I'd make a trip down to the city and pull a copy of the contract, but it's not worth the drive to Chattanooga to find out.

[Guest Marine03]

The thing that bugged me the most was when I asked the officers on what authority they were doing this and they told me "it's in the brochure". My understanding of the law is that a ban would have to be publicly posted at all entrances.

[strickj]

Guys, the city isn't banning weapons. The Friends of the Festival is.

I can only assume that any knives collected by police (whether on city time or acting as private security) is done so as an alternative to being escorted out of the"private area" for breaking the rules.

And lets not forget that a"proper posting"is not required. All that is required is for an associate to tell you.

Jay, the city can lease out or close down any public area for private entities. Be it for a concert, a parade, a movie, a"block party" whatever.

THe reason I mentioned the city temporally turning the street into the park is because I thought it was a joint venture between the city and TFOTF.

[JayC]

My point isn't that a public area can or can't be leased to a 'private entity' (I don't like it at all frankly, but it's done on a regular basis).

My issue is a public street and sidewalk can't be posted per TN law under any circumstances. If it can be think about what a city up to no good could do. Want to make your city a no-carry zone? Post all entrances to the city... either by turning them into public parks, or by 'leasing' the streets to a private group and allowing them to post. See the problem? If you can post streets under 39-17-1359, you don't even need a vote by the city council, the public works director can post them without anybodies approval (or the city manager).

This is effectively what has happened in downtown Memphis, they've turned a public street and sidewalk which receives state road funding into a posted area.

As for the knives collected by the police department, even if they are collected as an alternative to being escorted out, I'm willing to bet department policy requires that property to be logged and turned in, not pocketed or tossed in the trash. I'm just curious if that was done in this case or not.

Guys, the city isn't banning weapons. The Friends of the Festival is.

I can only assume that any knives collected by police (whether on city time or acting as private security) is done so as an alternative to being escorted out of the"private area" for breaking the rules.

And lets not forget that a"proper posting"is not required. All that is required is for an associate to tell you.

Jay, the city can lease out or close down any public area for private entities. Be it for a concert, a parade, a movie, a"block party" whatever.

THe reason I mentioned the city temporally turning the street into the park is because I thought it was a joint venture between the city and TFOTF.

[Adamant]

I've lived in Chattanooga all my life. I go to Riverbend almost every year. When I was in high school (9 years ago) me and a bunch of my friends went. As we walked in a cop approached me from my right side and grabbed me from behind my neck and escorted me to a trailer just beside the entrance. He pushed me up against the side and asked what I was doing. I said I came to see (insert random band here). He said you are not going anywhere with that knife sticking out of your pocket. It was maybe a 3 inch blade and couldn't have been been worth more than $10. He told me that I had to fill out this form and place it with my knife and I could get it back when I left. So when I left that night, I went back to the trailer to retrieve my "weapon". I asked for it and a lady showed me a large cardboard box full to the brim with knifes. There had to be at least 250 knives in there. Anyway point is, I have left my knife in my car every year since.

[Guest Grout]

Or one could always just slide their knife down in their pocket like anybody else would do in a setting where alchohol is served to avoid a problem,but that makes too much sense.

[phil1979]

Wonder if Riverbend will update their website now with regard to their weapons policy? It's certainly legal to open or conceal carry your pistol there now, regardless.

[dawgdoc]

Wonder if Riverbend will update their website now with regard to their weapons policy? It's certainly legal to open or conceal carry your pistol there now, regardless.

They have been publically complaining about the law, just not quite as bad as Nashville. http://www.newschannel9.com/news/top-stories/stories/festival-organizers-want-guns-parks-law-reconsidered-19631.shtml

[DaveTN]

They have been publically complaining about the law, just not quite as bad as Nashville. http://www.newschannel9.com/news/top-stories/stories/festival-organizers-want-guns-parks-law-reconsidered-19631.shtml

This concern comes after Tennessee’s attorney general passed the law allowing carry permit holders to bring firearms to some outdoor concerts, like the Chattanooga Unite concert next month.

New authority for the AG?

[Cruel Hand Luke]

Not to be over simplistic but if they had not seen the knife clipped in pocket then there would not have even been any contact with the officers IN THE FIRST PLACE. 

 

Treating everywhere like a non permissive environment (especially when it IS an NPE) and keeping things concealed that might draw peoples' attention solves a lot of problems. While your knife clipped in pocket is certainly "legal" out on the street it also draws attention that you might not want and not all negative attention is from bad guys...sometimes it is from the authorities.........  

Edited September 2, 2015 by Cruel Hand Luke

[300winmag]

Yeah it is probably best to conceal any kind of handgun or knife, even though it is legal to carry at that event.  You can pretty much bet that you won't be asked to leave if a handgun or knife isn't seen by anyone.

[dawgdoc]

http://newschannel9.com/news/local/guns-allowed-at-riverbend-for-permit-holders

Riverbend is respecting the parks law.  Sounds like open carriers are getting permit checks by LEOs, but not being denied entry.

[Wingshooter]

13 minutes ago, dawgdoc said:

http://newschannel9.com/news/local/guns-allowed-at-riverbend-for-permit-holders

Riverbend is respecting the parks law.  Sounds like open carriers are getting permit checks by LEOs, but not being denied entry.

Thanks for the update. I read the first few posts of this thread, and it's a good reminder of the progress we've made here in TN (knife laws, parks, etc.).

My wife's wanting to take the boat down there this year. I don't know what kind of headache that would be.

 

[peejman]

10 hours ago, Wingshooter said:

Thanks for the update. I read the first few posts of this thread, and it's a good reminder of the progress we've made here in TN (knife laws, parks, etc.).

My wife's wanting to take the boat down there this year. I don't know what kind of headache that would be.

 

Will you have to go through the lock to get there?  If so, plan for that to be really slow. 

[chances R]

Good for the administration of Chattanooga.  Wish Knoxville had a mayor that abides by State law.

[dawgdoc]

1 hour ago, chances R said:

Good for the administration of Chattanooga.  Wish Knoxville had a mayor that abides by State law.

Actually, good on the organizers for not trying to say that they have private property rights while occupying the public property to which the law applies.  

We've had state preemption over municipalities in regard to parks and such in Georgia for years, but there are still many groups here that think they can ban guns just because they rent the park, despite repeated clarifications to the law.  Several of them have had to be educated on the issue.