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As far as local law officers are concerned, it’s business as usual.

So what’s the big deal about the new Tennessee law allowing guns in restaurants and bars that serve alcohol?

It’s about guns. It’s about safety. It’s about politics — and Tuesday was the first day of Tennessee’s new rules.

“Time will tell,” said Maryville Police Chief Tony Crisp, when asked about the impact.

“Obviously, we’re going to enforce the law. It’s the legislature’s job to create the law and ours to enforce it — or the ordinance in the case of city council.”

Restaurant and bar owners have the option of banning guns from their establishments. Crisp said no owners have contacted him about the new law — pro or con.

Mark Brackins, owner of Brackins Blues Club on Broadway Avenue in downtown Maryville, said the law won’t change his business.

“As far as guns are concerned, the law says you can bring guns in but you can’t drink. So, it’s against the law in the first place. I never allow guns in my place, anyway,” he said.

If someone is packing, Brackins shows them the door.

“If I know about it, I quickly ask them to leave,” he said. “I’ve had people hand me their guns to lock them up in the back. Not very often, but it’s happened.”

At Aubrey’s Restaurant, on West Alexander Parkway in Maryville, bartender Tanya Stevens said the restaurant’s policy follows the law: “If you are drinking, you are not allowed to have a handgun of any sort. You can carry a gun as long as you’ve got a license.”

They’ll deal with trouble the way they always have.

If someone causes a problem: “That’s what managers are for.”

If the situation gets out of hand: “We call 911.”

As far as customers carrying guns: “I’m not real keen on it.”

Jacob Slingluff, general manager of Sullivan’s Downtown, on Broadway, said patrons will see no change in the operation of the restaurant. He also said Sullivan’s Downtown had no formal position on allowing guns in places that serve alcohol.

“It’s a no-win situation,” Slingluff said.

He did wonder why the state legislature was focusing on the issue now.

“Personally, I don’t know what’s the reason for wasting so much time on this law when there’s so much else to do with all the stimulus issues,” Slingluff said.

Blount County Sheriff Jim Berrong said his office will enforce any law the legislature passes.

“From my perspective, the people we worry about and deal with as threats don’t go by the law anyway,” Berrong said. “To my personal knowledge, there has not been a gun crime committed in the state by a valid Tennessee gun permit holder. And that law has been in effect since 1994.”

Alcoa Police Patrol Capt. Rick Arnold said the law is something for politicians to hash out. The police aren’t looking to take away anybody’s guns, and law-abiding people aren’t the problem, according to Arnold.

“It’s business as usual. We will address any issues as they arise. We’ll wait for the City Commission to make any changes in the ordinance as they deem necessary,” he said.

Arnold said Alcoa police have made more arrests for people not having a proper gun permit than for people carrying guns in establishments serving alcohol.

Guns in parks

City officials are already aware of the interest in new gun laws. National Rifle Association advocates have contacted the city about the state law allowing holders of gun-carry permits to take handguns into public parks starting Sept. 1 if the property is not posted by the local government.

City Manager Mark Johnson said nothing has been presented to the City Commission that would ban guns from municipal parks, but it will be discussed.

“We plan on presenting the law and facts (to the commission) at a work session. We did ask Parks and Rec to take a preliminary look at the cost of signs to enact a ban in parks,” Johnson said.

According to city of Maryville spokeswoman Pam Arnett, City Manager Greg McClain said the City Council has discussed the new guns-in-parks law. Now that council members have copies of the law, they will consider it at a workshop.

McClain is not taking a position on the matter, according to Arnett, but a resolution or ordinance banning guns in parks could be proposed by council members.