NFL says no guns for off-duty cops
Submitted by Ed Mullins, President, Sergeants Benevolent Association/New York City
Commissioner Roger Goodell of the National Football League passed a new rule that bans off-duty police officers from bringing guns inside stadiums. An NFL memo further declares that off-duty officers who attempt to bring firearms into an NFL facility will be denied entry.
In some stadiums around the country, the NFL policy only allows law enforcement officers “specifically assigned to work security at the games, or private security officers contracted for stadium protection” to carry a firearm. In consideration of several violent incidents that have occurred both inside and out of NFL stadiums, a constant threat of terrorism and for the most part gun carrying NFL players one can only conclude that Commissioner Goodell is clearly out of touch. Around the nation officers are on duty 24/7and are required to take action”.
The SBA is currently exploring filing an amicus brief in the case in Minnesota. Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association & Police Officers Federal of Minneapolis v. National Football League, Minnesota Vikings Football LLC, & Regents of the University of Minnesota, No. 27-cv-14-2342 (Hennepin County Civil Court). We have reached out to the attorneys representing the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association and are currently researching possible avenues we can pursue to support the plaintiffs in this case and or initiate legal action here in New York .
We are in the process of locating local counsel in Minneapolis to assist us with this project and will keep you informed as this case develops.