MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Macomb County is taking a strong stance on guns as the board of commissioners voted to make it a Second Amendment Sanctuary county.
Under the resolution, a Macomb County sheriff or deputy would not have to follow the law and arrest someone if they openly carried a gun in places like schools.
The resolution passed early June and allows the county prosecutor and sheriff to ignore laws if they felt they violated the Second Amendment.
It’s unclear why they thought this needed to be passed as Michigan is a very gun-friendly state. The Giffords Law Center -- named after former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Gifford, who was shot in a mass shooting in 2011 -- ranks Michigan as a C on its Gun Law Scorecard. AZ-Defenders place Michigan at No. 20 on its list of Best States for Responsible Gun Owners.
The commissioner behind the proposal said it came from concerned residents.
“What we’re really saying is a political statement made on behalf of this entity for the county to which they serve about their feelings about gun control laws,” said Larry Dubin, an expert of constitutional law at University of Detroit Mercy.
Dubin said even if the resolution passed the county board, it likely couldn’t go further than that.
The Macomb County sheriff said the county board does not control him and he took an oath to uphold the Constitution.
The resolution is causing a lot of worry and there are questions about mass shootings or guns in schools. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, gun sales soared in Michigan, especially in Macomb County. Last year was a record for gun sales and 2021 is already on track to match it at least.
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