Supervisors OK citizens bringing guns into building

KINGMAN, Ariz. — Starting next month, citizens again will be allowed to bring firearms into the Mohave County administration building in northwest Arizona.

The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Monday to repeal the weapons prohibition and remove the security screening station at the entrance to the Kingman building.

Tenured members of the board were in the minority as they noted liability concerns by legal counsel. They were outvoted by three freshman members who promised reforms during their campaigns last year.

Supervisor Steve Moss said the security station and weapons ban were enacted after Mervin Fried tried to enter the administration building with a pitchfork. Moss said the Kingman man was exercising his right of free speech and replicating peasant government protests from history books.

“We are allowing ourselves to be paralyzed because of make-believe fears based upon nonincidents,” Moss said. “If Mervin Fried had come charging down those steps and tried to bayonet the board, I’d be worried. But that hasn’t happened.”

Activist Denise Bensusan favored keeping the security restrictions. She said it’s better to be safe than sorry in a corner of the state filled with citizen unrest.

“This is a volatile, volatile area. We have such hatred in this community,” Bensusan cautioned. “I think we are grossly underestimating gun violence in America.”

The relaxed security takes effect April 1. Two contracted security officers will remain in the building.