Advertisement Judge holds firm, will not allow guns for officers on the stand Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Omaha police officers will not be bringing their service weapons into one courtroom in Douglas County.Late Friday, District Court Judge James Gleason issued an order, affirming his ban on police carrying guns into court, even as part of their uniform."I think it is a sad situation if our law enforcement personnel identify themselves, not by their presence, but rather by the presence of their firearms," Gleason wrote in the order.((READ THE FULL ORDER HERE))The question dates back to December, when Omaha police officers refused to take the stand without their firearms during a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence.Gleason postponed the proceeding and sought input from the Omaha Police Department and city attorneys.Chief Todd Schmaderer and the county's presiding Judge Leigh Ann Retelsdorf, were in the meeting."They're on-duty, sworn law enforcement officers," Schmaderer told KETV NewsWatch 7 after the meeting with Gleason. "They're trained to react in the event their services are needed to protect the public, and that can happen in the confines of a courtroom or that could happen in the confines of walking to their car."In his ruling, Gleason noted the Douglas County Sheriff's Office is the only agency charged with courthouse security.The county judge also held up Omaha's federal courthouse as an example."The United States District Court for the District of Nebraska prohibits law enforcement personnel, other than the U.S. Marshal’s Service, from carrying firearms within its courthouses," Gleason wrote. "Such personnel apparently must be unarmed or leave their weapons in the care of the Marshal’s Service while they are in the courthouse."Gleason noted the county will provide a gun safe for officers right outside his courtroom, or officers can lock their firearms in his court reporter's office.Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer responded with the following statement: "I'm disappointed in the ruling and the unnecessary comment from Judge Gleason. The whole thing seems petty and bizarre to me."Guns in court poll