HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance #1123
ORDINANCE NO. 1123
AN ORDINANCE GOVERNING THE DSE OF WEAPONS AND FIRL_AR~rs
IN THE CITY OF CANTON
Whereas, the Legal and Ordinance Committee has determined that
it is necessary and in the best interest of the City of Canton to
regulate the use of weapons and firearms in the City of Canton;
and,
Whereas, the Canton City Council has made a similar
determination.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CANTON, FULTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. DEFINITIONS. Whenever in this Ordinance the
following terms or words are used they shall have the meanings
respectively ascribed to them in this Section.
(a) WEAPONS: Black jack, slung shot, sand club, sand bag,
switch blade knife, dager, dirk, sword, saber, stiletto, broken
bottle, piece of glass or other dangerous or deadly weapon of like
character, tear gas projector or bomb or any object containing a
noxious gas or substance, or any bomb, bomb shell, grenade, bottle
or other container containing an explosive substance, such as, but
not limited to, black powder bombs and Molotov cocktails.
(b) FIREARMS: Shot gun, rifle, B-B gun, pellet gun, pistol,
revolver, machine gun, or any device capable of ejecting or firing
a projectile by any means.
(c) PEACE OFFICERS: Officers duly
Police Commission of the City of Canton,
elected by the people or appointed by an
United States Government or of the State
sub-division thereof and having a right
firearms in their official capacity.
appointed by the Fire and
Illinois, or officers
official or board of the
of Illinois or of some
to carry weapons and
Section 2. DISCHARGE OF WEAPONS AND FIREARMS PROHIBITED. It
shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm or any
weapon within or into the corporate limits of the City of Canton,
Illinois, except that firearms firing "blank" ammunition may be
discharged for military funerals and other patriotic observances
and, excepting further, that nothing contained in this Section
shall be construed to make unlawful the discharge of a firearm or
weapon by a peace officer while in the performance of his duties.
Section 3. CARRYING OF FIREARMS PROHIBITED. It shall be
unlawful for any person to carry firearms within the corporate
limits of the City of Canton, Illinois.
Section 4. CARRYING OF WEAPONS PROHIBITED. It shall be
unlawful for any person to carry or have on his person or in any
vehicle any weapon within the corporate limits of the City of
Canton, Illinois.
Section 5. EXCEPTIONS. Sections 3 and 4 of this Ordinance
shall not apply to any of the following:
(a) Peace officers or any person summoned by such officers in
making arrests or preserving the peace while he is actually
assisting such officer.
(b) The Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Canton, Illinois,
when acting as Conservators of the Peace as set forth in Section
3-9-4 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
(c) Members of the Armed Forces or Reserve Forces of the
United States or the Illinois National Guard or Reserve Officers
Training Corps in the performance of their official duties.
(d) Special agents employed by a railroad to perform police
functions while actually engaged in the performance of their
employment or commuting between their place of employment and
watchmen or guards while actually engaged in the performance of
their employment.
(e) Duly authorized military or civic organizations while
parading or conducting funeral or other military or civic
observances.
(f) Licensed hunters or fishermen while commuting between
their homes and their places of hunting or fishing, provided they
comply with the laws of the State of Illinois in such cases made
and provided.
(g) Transportation of weapons or firearms when broken down,
or in a non-functioning state, or when stored in or locked in an
inaccessable place in a vehicle so that the weapon or firearm is
not capable of ready use.
(h) Members of any club or organization organized for the
shooting of targets upon established target ranges, whether public
or private, when commuting from their home to said range.
(i) Members of an organized fraternal or religious
organization in which a sword or saber is a part of the regalia
while commuting to/from his home to/from the meeting place of such
organization or during public observances of such organization.
(j) Mailmen, meter readers, delivery men, and other persons
of the minimal age of 21 years carrying or using chemical weapons
formulated or designed for defensive use against animals while in
the actual performance of their duties.
Section 6. REPEAL. All prior Ordinances and parts of
Ordinances in any way in conflict with this Ordinance be, and the
same are hereby repealed.
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Section 7. PENALTY. Any person found or adjudged guilty of
any of the provisions of this Ordinance shall be subject to a fine
of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense.
Each instance of violation shall constitute a separate offense.
Section 8. DEFENSIVE USE OF WEAPONS AND FIREARMS. Nothing in
this Ordinance shall ever be construed to prohibit or deny to any
person the right to lawfully use a weapon or firearm in the defense
of one's person, the person of another, in the defense of one's
home; or, to lawfully possess a weapon or firearm.
Section 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall be in full
force and effect ten days after its passage by the City Council of
the City of Canton, Fulton County, Illinois, approval by the Mayor
thereof, and publication in pamphlet form as provided by law.
PASSED by the
County, Illinois at
December
AYES:
ATTEST:
NAYS:
ABSENT:
~j~
APPROVED: z~e~,e! ~~ ~~~-~~~
MAYOR.
CITY CLERK.
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City Council of the City of Canton, Fulton
a regular meeting this 2nd day of
_, 1986, upon a roll call vote as follows:
Pu~i_r~~ci®~ ~~a~~r~~~s~t~®~
f~ C~ not p~!tifis,h
~JueiSi9 °fi ~';"sf73~~ti~'t iDiE~; ~~~I~y
~~ Pt~bii~,'~ in a ~,~r~~,;;i circ~tation newspaper
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`~ City ~ytt _ _~_ . _. Date