ROCKWELL — The Rockwell Board of Aldermen voted during their meeting Monday night to remove all of the ordinances related to weapons that the town had in effect. The vote came after the aldermen noted that their previous ordinances were extremely outdated.

The previous ordinances included guns and firearms, but it also included weapons such as slingshots, bows-and-arrows, clubs and blackjacks. It also made it so that it was illegal to carry any of those weapons “on any public property or on the public streets and sidewalks of the Town of Rockwell.” Part of the issue with the original ordinances was also that state and federal law prohibits the ability of towns to outlaw concealed carry in parks, according to the town’s attorney.

When the antiquated and problematic nature of the town’s weapons ordinances was brought to the attention of the aldermen, they asked the town’s attorney to draft a new ordinance that they could potentially use to update the town’s rules. While discussing the updated ordinances however, the board decided that they wanted to remove hindrances to those who carry their firearms lawfully.

“It’s not going to stop somebody that’s going to come in and is going to do dangerous things. That just hinders those that don’t cause a problem,” said Mayor Pro Tem Chris Cranford.

Removing the town’s weapons ordinances will not make it so that any weapons are allowed to be carried or used in any manner within the town limits. There are still state laws that prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons outside of firearms as well as other offenses. Police Chief Cody Trexler noted that even if the town had passed the updated ordinance he would still look to state and federal law because it provided more purview into how law enforcement approached weapons in the town.