Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Protesters outside Howell's Opera House Monday night, where Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy and others were recognized for declaring a 'constitutional county' last year.

The sheriff openly pledged not to enforce Michigan's new red flag gun laws.

"I don't think being our sheriff and not enforcing state laws is going to keep our children safe. That's how I feel about it. They can't ignore red flags, and there's a lot of them around here," one protester told WILX Lansing.

Second Amendment advocates want other county and state officials to follow what's been dubbed the "Livingston Model."

"Not just our sheriffs, but our state senators. Our state representatives. Our county commissioners. Our school board members. Our library board members. We need all of those people to think about the people who've elected them, and what they elected them to do," said Meshawn Maddock with the Grand New Party PAC, which doled out the awards.

"I believe we have the right to carry our own weapons and not have to worry about an overreaching government. That's really all this is about."

Protesters claim the Grand New Party PAC is actually a 'hate group,' pointing out Maddock, the former Michigan GOP chair, is among those charged in an alleged scheme to replace Michigan’s electoral college representatives with a slate of Republicans to subvert the 2020 election in favor of Donald Trump.

Maddock pleaded not guilty to all charges last year.