The Seminole County Tax Collector is allowing some of his staff to openly carry firearms.
The tax collector, Joel Greenberg, joined Intersection to talk about the policy, along with Dave Couvertier, a former FBI special agent who now runs Dave Couvertier Consulting advising on crime prevention and personal safety.
Greenberg said it will protect staff, serve as a deterrent and save money. The move could save approximately $350,000 a year, money that would otherwise be spent on private security.
Greenberg said as revenue officers, they’re exempt from the state law which bans open carry of firearms. And he says those that want to carry a firearm on the job will get the proper training they need.
Couvertier said that most training is all about going through the what-ifs of a situation and how to respond.
"Part of the training is just not shooting. It's weapon retention, it's defensive tactics, it's the issue of when do you brandish a weapon," he said.
"A lot of individuals in the heat of the moment will take that weapon out because now they feel that it is an equalizer and maybe prematurely expose that weapon or use it in a threatening manner."
Greenberg said a chief investigation officer from the Seminole county sheriffs office will be leading the program, which will be implemented in August.
"We will have training, we will have defensive tactics and de-escalation of situations. We are in-contact with the Sheriffs office and the local police chiefs, and they have all offered their support," he said.