Tuscarawas County, Ohio - An update to the county’s weapons policy is giving employees more flexibility to carry on the job.

Tuscarawas County Human Resources Manager Kris Lowdermilk says the update gives county commissioners the ability to authorize individual employees to carry weapons while at work. He says the change will bring the policy in line with recent updates to state law.

“The Ohio Revised Code extends provisions for the commissioners to pass a resolution for a concealed carry permit holder to come on the premises or carry while they’re at work,” he says. “All we did was change our policy to include that language from the Ohio Revised Code.”

Lowdermilk says the update is a change from the previous policy which allowed only military personnel and law enforcement to carry a concealed weapon inside county-owned buildings. 

“We have exclusions because we’re a government building that you can’t come on premises with a firearm even if you’re a concealed carry permit holder but if you’re a member of the active military or law enforcement, you can while on duty,” he explains.
 
Lowdermilk says commissioners will now have the ability to grant exceptions to the rule on a case-by-case basis for county employees with valid CCW licenses. He says this will be done in consultation with the county sheriff. “It’ll be vetted through the sheriff’s office, and it’ll be procedural,” he says.  

Lowdermilk says the new policy applies to employees only. He says visitors will still be prohibited from bringing weapons into county-owned buildings.

STACEY CARMANY, TUSCO TV