Although Oregon residents voted this month that the state should require permits for gun purchases and criminally prohibit certain ammunition magazines, at least five sheriffs plan to disregard the new law.
“This is a terrible law for gunowners, crime victims, and public safety,” said Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan in a Facebook post. “I want to send a clear message to Linn County residents that the Linn County Sheriff’s Office is NOT going to be enforcing magazine capacity limits,” she added.
In addition to Duncan, Sheriff Cody Bowen of Union County, Sheriff Brian Wolfe of Malheur County, Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock and the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office said enforcement of the new requirements will not be a priority, Fox News Digital reported.
“The biggest thing is this does absolutely nothing to address the problem,” Bowen told the outlet. “The problem that we have is not… magazine capacity. It’s not background checks. It’s a problem with mental health awareness. It’s a problem with behavior health illness.”
Bowen said that there is “no way” to enforce capacity limits and “nor would I simply because it's an infringement on our Second Amendment, you know, our right to keep and bear arms.”
Measure 114, which was approved by voters during the midterm elections, stipulates that “possession of ammunition magazines to those that hold no more than 10 rounds will promote the public health and safety of the residents of this state.” It also calls for all permit applicants to submit to a background check process that includes photographing and fingerprinting.
“The permit agent may charge a reasonable fee reflecting the actual cost of the process but shall not exceed $65, including the cost of fingerprinting, photographing and obtaining a criminal background check,” per the measure.
While the measure states that “a sharp increase in gun sales, gun violence, and raised fear in Oregonians of armed intimidation,” is the reason for the new restrictions, Bowen said he doesn’t think these requirements will curb gun violence.
“If you believe that this measure is going to cut the school shootings down, or cut the gun violence down, you’re sadly mistaken," he said. “But what has proven [to work] time and time again is… supporting your law enforcement, responsible gun ownership, teaching our children at a younger age respect for human life. That’s what we need to fall back on.”
He also said that neither he nor his colleagues were consulted on the measure and that funding was not “made available to meet the staffing needs enforcement of the law would require,” according to Fox News Digital.
Last month, the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association nonprofit released a video message urging people to vote against Measure 114. In it, Sheriff L. Shane Nelson of Deschutes County said the organization’s research indicates that the measure will cost law enforcement agencies tens of millions of dollars and stretch their budgets. Permit fees would only cover a portion of the cost, he said.
Another group opposed to the law is the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association, which claims it is “the nation’s most extreme gun control initiative.”
Oregon already have a background check process for firearm purchases, according to the sheriffs, but did not require a permit. According to Measure 114, “studies have shown that permits-to-purchase reduce firearm-related injuries and death and studies further have shown that firearm ownership or access to firearms triples the risk of suicide and doubles the risk of homicide when compared to someone who does not have access.”
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