Please read this entire policy before attending LAcon V. It is part of the Code of Conduct required of members. This Weapons Policy augments applicable laws in that it is more limiting and only applies to participants attending the convention in-person.
LAcon V, in conjunction with venue staff where relevant, reserve the right to consider any weapon or prop to be in violation of this Policy if the Expedition Guides team deem it to be unsafe or likely to cause danger/undue disruption.
Please consult the Policy Definitions document if any clarification is needed regarding who will be held responsible for following this Weapons Policy.
Basic Dos and Don’ts
- Forbidden: Real weapons. This includes but is not limited to firearms, laser weapons, electroshock weapons, missile weapons, throwing weapons, clubs, and any sharpened blade bigger than a small folding pocket knife.
- It does not matter if you have a concealed carry permit or not; firearms are not permitted in any LAcon V spaces.
- Forbidden: Practice weapons. Weapons made of wood, rattan, and other practice weapon materials can also cause serious injury or death.
- Forbidden: Prop weapons that can be easily confused with a real weapon. LAcon V’s Expedition Guides team managers are the final judge of whether a prop weapon will be banned.
- Forbidden: Visually benign items that are intended, designed, or used to conceal a weapon.. This is the case regardless if the concealment is removed or not.
- Forbidden: Wearing a hall costume does not permit you to carry any weapons that are otherwise excluded by this Policy.
- Not Forbidden: Items that might be used as weapons, such as a staff or walking stick.
- Anyone who uses anything in a threatening manner may have the object classified as a weapon; it will then be either seized or impounded for the rest of the convention.
- Not Forbidden: Some law enforcement personnel are required to carry their service weapon at all times. When questioned about their service weapon, they should be able to present departmental credentials and identification and explain this requirement. These personnel are requested to check in at the Expedition Guides Office in the Coronado room at the Hilton to avoid any misunderstandings. Please do not approach roaming Expedition Guides Staff for this purpose.
Conditional and Temporary Exceptions
In each of the following cases, approved weapons must be wrapped securely when transported both before and after the activities for which approval has been granted. Transport of wrapped weapons must be direct to your hotel room or vehicle, with no intermediate stops.
- Dealers’ Room: Weapons may be available for purchase; you may not carry them in any convention spaces except as wrapped for transport by the dealer who sold it.
- Programming: For any Program activity that includes a weapon(s) demonstration, the weapon(s) involved must be approved in advance by the Program Division Head and an Expedition Guides Manager.
- Masquerade: All prop weapons must be approved in advance by the Masquerade Director and an Expedition Guides Manager.
Weapons Inspections
Expedition Guide Managers can be found in the Expedition Guides Office, located in the Coronado Room in the Hilton. All prop weapons should be taken there to be checked. In some cases, you may be able to locate a roaming Expedition Guides staff member on the event floor, though they may send you to their Office.
