Just read a memo the boss got from one of the state (Ohio) judges associations...they are pushing for legislation to have judges declared by statute as law enforcement officers. Why? It would make them exempt from CCW requirements, allow them to ignore the "do not carry" signs at stores and such, and also allow judges to carry nationwide under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act. Apparently, a few judges up in the Cleveland area have issued court orders declaring themselves to be law enforcement officers, and stating that they must carry a weapon as a part of their duties to make themselves fall under that act, but they're looking for some statutory support for their orders.
Personally, I'm not liking this idea. Like you guys, I don't like "more equal" laws. I also don't think judges should be declared LEOs, because of the seperation of powers under the Constitution. Judiciary and Executive(law enforcement) are intended to be seperate branches. Blur that line, and bad things can happen. I'm not a cop, and I don't want people to think of me as a cop. I'm a judicial officer.
And, I really don't like the proposal, because it doesn't include magistrates, so I wouldn't get any benefits from it.