This decisive move comes following the horrific shooting death of Tiffany Fletcher, a 41-year-old mother of three, who was caught in the crossfire of a shootout between teens while working at a city recreation center last week. A 14-year-old has since been charged with Fletcher’s murder. During the ceremonial signing, a visibly emotional Mayor Kenney spoke about attending Fletcher’s funeral and witnessing the recreation center workers mourning one of their own.

“If this gives them some protection, some peace of mind, some ability to call the authorities when some knucklehead decides they want to bring a gun into a rec center and they see it. That is part of what this is about,” Kenney explained. The executive order enables parks and recreation workers to contact the police if they spot someone entering a recreation facility with a firearm. Police can then charge trespassers who refuse to leave when asked.

Overcoming Legal Hurdles to Regulate Guns Locally

Mayor Kenney’s executive order is the latest attempt by Philadelphia officials to enact common-sense gun safety measures within their jurisdiction. However, these efforts consistently run up against Pennsylvania’s preemption law that prohibits municipalities from enforcing firearms regulations that are stricter than state laws. For Kenney, protecting public spaces from gun violence remains a moral imperative, regardless of these legal obstacles.

“That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be trying,” he responded when asked if he expected the executive order to face legal challenges. City lawyers contend that this order is fundamentally different than previous legislative attempts to ban guns from parks and recreation centers. As acting property owners of these facilities, they argue the city has the authority to limit firearms on their premises.

Andrew Richman of Philadelphia’s Law Department explained, “It’s a management and operational directive that pertains to city-owned recreational centers. As the property owner of the city’s recreational centers, we believe that the city has the authority to limit guns on our own property.” It remains to be seen whether this legal rationale will hold up in court. However, Kenney remains undeterred by the threat of drawn-out lawsuits.

Gun Violence Continues Unabated

The impetus behind these repeated attempts to regulate guns is the ongoing public health emergency of gun violence plaguing the city. Mayor Kenney noted that Philadelphia has already seen 400 homicides this year, putting it on track to match or exceed last year’s alarming spike that saw over 560 homicides–the most in decades. The influx of crime guns and lack of comprehensive regulations have created a ‘Wild West’ environment where everyday disputes can turn deadly in an instant.

In Mayor Kenney’s view, state preemption laws severely limit life-saving local action while failing to adequately address the crisis themselves. “I watched (parks and recreation workers) yesterday line up on Lehigh Avenue like police officers burying one of their own…They were all out there lined up like they were on the front line, and they are,” he lamented at Tuesday’s signing.

Kenney’s sentiments highlight the toll gun violence takes on all members of the community, not just victims and their families. The trauma of witnessing shootings and losing loved ones reverberates widely, impacting mental health and sense of safety for all Philadelphians. That parks and recreation workers now feel they are on the ‘front lines’ underscores the climate of fear gun violence creates.

Gun Safety in Public Spaces: A Matter of Public Health

Mayor Kenney’s executive action focuses specifically on public recreational facilities like parks, courts, and pools where families gather and youth sports take place. A barrage of gunfire can erupt at any time and turn these community hubs deadly in an instant. Banning firearms institutes some guarded sense of security for residents and workers trying to go about their daily lives.

City officials stated they have the right to dictate what safety measures are permitted on their own properties. Opponents will likely argue this infringes on individual rights. However, the mayor and other gun safety advocates contend that the ability to congregate safely in public spaces without fear of rampant firearms is a collective civil liberty that supersedes individual whims. Moreover, the bans aim to prevent only unnecessary guns in sensitive areas rather than arbitrarily targeting responsible gun owners.

Kenney’s Next Moves

For now, Mayor Kenney is wielding his executive authority to implement gun bans on recreational facilities owned by the city. However, his administration made clear that they will continue pushing the boundaries of state preemption laws in order to enact further public health measures. Philadelphia already has a case pending in court challenging the state’s prohibitions on local action against gun violence.

With gun deaths spiraling, Mayor Kenney remains resolved to utilize every legal and moral justification to curb the bloodshed. “That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be trying,” he reiterated regarding the city’s ongoing legal battles over gun regulations. Kenney sees persevering with the bans not only as his obligation as mayor but also as a tribute to victims like Tiffany Fletcher and the many recreation workers traumatized by the gun crisis. It remains unclear if the executive order will survive legal scrutiny, but Kenney’s refusal to watch idly shows strong and moral local leadership at a time when state and federal action continues to fail American cities. I sincerely hope you find this “Philadelphia Mayor Issued a Ban on Guns at City Parks and Pools?” article helpful.

Skylar Lacey

Skylar Lacey, a Travel and Tourism Management graduate from Temple University, offers 5 years of experience in travel writing and airport logistics at PhiladelphiaAirport.net. Her expertise helps travelers make the most of their journeys through Philadelphia International Airport. Connect with her on Instagram for more travel tips and insights.

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