Public commenters dispute noise claims about local shooting range; commissioner urges sheriff body cameras
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Summary
Public comment at the Alamance County meeting featured a business owner defending the RAD Range from prior complaints and a longtime range member disputing allegations; Commissioner Pamela Thompson urged the board to discuss sheriff body cameras after a multi-county operation targeting alleged child predators.
Public comment at the Alamance County meeting on Dec. 2 included a sharply worded exchange over the local shooting range and a call from Commissioner Pamela Tyler Thompson for the board to consider body cameras for the sheriff’s office.
Ralph Kirkhassi Jr., who identified himself as the owner of RAD Industries and RAD Range, disputed statements made at the Nov. 18 meeting about his range. He said county transaction records and his check-in/check-out logs show the range’s hours are posted and that customers do not shoot until after noon on Sundays. "These are registered data from credit card receipts, cash payments that the county collects in taxes," he said, and offered to provide camera footage and other evidence to commissioners. Kirkhassi also said FlightAware data showed repeated circles over the range by a Cessna he identified by tail number "N2185E," and suggested the same person who complained about noise was flying over the range.
Richard Clark, a long-time range member, told the board he has lived and worked near the range for decades without serious incidents and described media coverage and previous testimony as "incredible exaggerations." Clark said, "It's a gun range," and added that louder activities (he cited engine dyno tests at his shop) occur nearby without the same complaints.
Commissioner Pamela Tyler Thompson used her time later in the meeting to describe a multi-county enforcement operation that she said targeted people accused of sexual crimes against children. Thompson urged the board to consider body cameras for the sheriff's department, saying she had received figures from Sheriff Johnson and given them to staff (identified as Heidi) for follow-up. "If we come up with these hundreds of thousand dollars for bonuses, body cameras will save us tremendously in lawsuits, I'm sure," Thompson said, and asked the chair to place the item on the next agenda.
Other public commenters offered brief remarks welcoming the new commissioners and encouraging mindful use of taxpayer dollars.
No formal action on range operations or body cameras was taken at the meeting; Thompson requested a future agenda item for discussion.
