BURRILLVILLE, R.I. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A town in northern Rhode Island is taking sides in the ongoing debate over the Second Amendment.
On Wednesday, the Burrillville Town Council passed a resolution declaring Burrillville a sanctuary town for gun owners, protecting their right to bear arms.
The resolution's sponsor, Donald Fox, said this is the council's way of thumbing its nose at the progressive wing's efforts to pass laws that will infringe on residents' rights to bear arms.
It states that the town will support the police department's right to exercise 'discretion' when enforcing laws impacting the rights of citizens under the Second Amendment.
The Burrillville Police Department, however, is calling politics, plain and simple.
Police Maj. Dennis Leahy told WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe the measure has no legal standing, and won't effect the way they do their job.
"The Burrillville Police Department doesn't get involved in politics," Maj. Leahy said. "That was something the Town Council felt it needed to do, and that's fine, but we're governed by state law."
The resolution is being opposed by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, which issued a statement saying the term "sanctuary city" should not be used lightly.
Also in Burrillville, on Friday morning, a live bullet was found on a school bus, prompting a lockdown at the town's middle and high schools.
Maj. Leahy said the bus company notified police around 7:40 a.m. that the .45-caliber round was found.
Police responded to both schools, interviewed every student on the bus, and checked backpacks and lockers—but said they found no specific threat or any weapons.
They said nobody was in danger at any time. The lockdown at the schools was lifted at 10:20 a.m.
(Photo: Janina Luetje/EyeEm)
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WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports