[HISTORY: Adopted by the Municipal Council of the Municipality
of Norristown 10-4-2016 by Ord. No. 16-14.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Former Ch. 155, Firearms and Weapons, was repealed as follows:
Art. I, adopted 4-6-1982 as Ch. 109 of the 1981 Code, as amended,
and Art. II, adopted 3-7-1989 by Res. No. 89-109, were repealed 1-5-2015
by Ord. No. 15-01. Former Art. III, adopted 1-4-2010 by Ord. No. 10-02,
was repealed 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 14-14.
The Norristown Municipal Council desires to require that persons
who have lost a firearm or have had a firearm stolen must report the
loss or theft to the Norristown Municipality Police Department within
72 hours after the discovery of the loss or theft, in order to permit
the Department to record and maintain such information, and to permit
the Department to commence efforts to search for the lost or stolen
firearm before it is used in a crime, and to further provide for the
preservation of the health, safety and welfare of the residents of
the Municipality of Norristown.
Anyone who is the owner of a firearm that is lost or stolen
within the Municipality shall report the loss or theft of the firearm
to the Norristown Police Department within 72 hours after discovery
of the loss or theft of the firearm. Failure to so report a lost or
stolen firearm is a violation subject to the penalties set forth under
this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any pistol or revolver with a barrel length less than 15
inches, any shotgun with a barrel length less than 18 inches or any
rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches, or any pistol, revolver,
rifle or shotgun with an overall length of less than 26 inches. The
barrel length of a firearm shall be determined by measuring from the
muzzle of the barrel to the face of the closed action, bolt or cylinder,
whichever is applicable. If the definition of the term "firearm" set
forth in 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6102 is amended after the effective
date of this chapter, then this definition shall be automatically
amended to reflect the definition of a "firearm" found therein.
The Police Department shall maintain a record of all reports
of firearms reported as stolen in accordance with the terms of this
chapter, and shall provide a report of the same to the Municipal Council
on not less than an annual basis.
Any who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon
conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $600
plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a
term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days.
The terms, conditions and provisions of this chapter are intended
to supersede, repeal and replace any inconsistent terms, conditions
or provisions of the General Laws of the Municipality of Norristown,
and any term, condition or provision of the General Law not in conflict
with the terms, conditions and provisions of this chapter shall survive
the enactment of this chapter.
The terms, conditions and provisions of this chapter are hereby
declared to be severable, and, should any portion, part or provision
of this chapter be found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
invalid, unenforceable or unconstitutional, Municipal Council hereby
declares its intent that the chapter shall have been enacted without
regard to the invalid, unenforceable, or unconstitutional portion,
part or provision of this chapter.
This chapter shall take effect five days following its legal
enactment.
