Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!
Posted on 11/12/2008 9:14:43 AM PST by bamahead
Washington County's sheriff is asking 10,000 people who hold concealed handgun licenses whether they want their names made public if it is requested as an Oregon public record.
Sheriff Rob Gordon said he believes that people obtain these licenses as a security measure, which would exempt the release of their names. But a circuit court in Jackson County ruled in April that people have to document that the license is for security reasons in order to be exempt from public records law.
On Friday, license holders will be mailed letters asking them to say whether they obtained the license for security reasons, and whether they want their information kept confidential.
"Instead of going through the process of saying that it's implied, we're going though the process of getting the documentation that says that it is," said Sgt. Vance Stimler, public information officer at the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
When The Mail Tribune in Medford requested names of concealed handgun license holders as a public record in 2007, the Jackson County Sheriff refused the request based on Oregon law that states records are not public if they could reveal a person's security measures or weaknesses. But Jackson County's Circuit Court ruled that each individual must specify that he or she doesn't want any personal information released. If not, their names are public record.
The ruling is now in front of the Oregon Court of Appeals. No court date is set.
If each applicant requests to keep their information private, then Oregon law will allow the Washington County Sheriff's Office to reject a request for names of license holders, Stimler said.
"Essentially we follow the law and the law stated that people had personal protection reasons for getting them," Stimler said. "We're just trying to follow the interpretation."
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office will confirm that a person has a concealed handgun license if someone calls with a name, said Deputy Paul McRedmond, public information officer. They approve public record requests for general release of names on a case-by-case basis.
In Clackamas County, the sheriff's office will release the information for properly made requests, said Det. Jim Strovink, public information officer.
Both counties are considering Washington County's idea and plan to discuss whether they will implement something similar.
License holders in Washington County can answer the privacy questions on the sheriff's office Web site, at http://washtech.co.washington.or.us/handgunholder/
The Jackson County Civil Court case stems from the news that broke in 2007 about a Medford teacher with a concealed handgun license who wanted to bring a handgun onto school property for personal security reasons.
And so it begins!
ping
CW II ping
Not liking the sound of this. They need to get it together and appeal this ruling before things get out of hand.
Some government clerk pulls up a license data base and mails out 10,000 letters (no doubt all with word processed name and address labels) asking the recipients if they want their identities to be kept secret?
What's wrong with THIS picture?
Due to emanations and penumbras, we have a right in the Constitution to our privacy. 0bamma said so.
but is the request letter requesting now a public record?
this is like an expunged record. There is a record that SOMETHING was expunged.
For those in VA, here is a list of pre-inauguration gun shows:
Nov 15-16 Richmond, Richmond Raceway & Fairground Showmasters
Nov 21-23 Chantilly, Dulles Expo Center C&E Gun Show and/or Showmasters
Nov 29-30 Hampton, Convention Center, SGK, LTD 757-483-5385
Dec 6-7 Dale City, VFW Post 1503 Old Dominion Shows
Dec 13-14 Fredericksburg, Virginia Expo Center SGK, LTD 757-483-5385
Dec 13-14 Harrisonburg, Rockingham County Fairgrounds Showmaster 540-951-1424
Dec 27-28 Virginia Beach, Convention Center, 300 tbls, SGK, LTD 757-483-5385
2009
Jan 3-4 Roanoke, Roanoke Civic Center Showmasters 540-951-1344
They’re wasting tax dollars mailing each CCW permit holder individually asking ‘Do you care if we release your info to the press?’
I think any right minded citizen would say HELL NO, and any government official dedicated to protecting citizens privacy would reject such a request and say ‘HELL NO!’ on behalf of the people.
But apparently not this tin horn sherrif...
Hey man, where can I steal a gun?
Dude. here’s a list of gunowners, that shoud be a good place to start.
Is the list any good?
Heck yeah, the sheriff vetted it himself.
They’re basically setting a precedent that, unless you EXPLICITLY and OFFICALLY request that you don’t want your personal information released, it would be released on your behalf to any anti-gun nut reporter who requests it.
Privacy would no longer be inherent or the default position in the eyes of the law, you’d have to say that you want it kept private...assuming you are even asked the question.
Wow, things are moving really fast! Yikes!
I don’t think you understand the article. The sherrif did say hell no and then was court ordered to release those that had not specifically marked their applications as being for security reasons.
So the sherrif is mailing those CCW holders to give them a chance to say they do not wish their information given to the press so he can tell the press and the judge Hell NO! one more time while remaining within the judges order.
Plus it creates a bureaucratic delay in turning the info over to the press while the matter is appealed or until they can get a higher court to issue a stay pending appeal.
This sherrif is doing everything he can to protect his constituents from the press and overweening judges.
Now that Joe the Plumber is out sight, the data junkies and the computer gestapo are looking for others to harass.
SOP for Oregon. They published all of DMV’s info on-line a few years back. It got yanked after awhile...who knows who might have downloaded it, though.
Then again, some people think legal gun owners are the problem and criminals would only use pointed sticks if not for them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.