L. A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, center, talks to Acting Secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency Mike Dayton, right, with Assemblyman Anthony Portantino on the left as they leave the Altadena Golf Course on Friday, December 9, 2011. (Roger Wilson/Staff photographer, Pasadena Sun)
by Mark Kellam
Pasadena Sun
The California Police Chiefs Assn. recently named Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) “Legislator of the Year” for his public safety measure banning the open carry of unloaded handguns in public places.
“As someone with many relatives in law enforcement, this means a lot to me. I know and respect the dedicated men and woman in uniform and the work they do to keep our communities safe,” Portantino said in a statement.
Portantino’s measure was backed by the police association and rank-and-file police officers who said that openly carrying weapons in public places is a safety threat and a waste of police officers’ time.
