but is the request letter requesting now a public record?
this is like an expunged record. There is a record that SOMETHING was expunged.
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...
It seems odd to me that the sheriff of this gun hating county is proactively giving folks an opportunity to assert their option for privacy. But sheriffs are elected here. If there's no ulterior motive then great.
Oregon “public records” laws are very broad as to what must be made public. They became so as a reactionary legislative answer to some controversial thing that happened years ago (in my time but I don't remember exactly what it was).
But it was intended to require public bodies and agencies to make public details about their actions, meetings, contracts, etc. - NOT to make public lists of personal information about large groups of private citizens.
It bothers me enough that the state regularly sells its database of licensed drivers and vehicle owners to anybody for any reason, and that this law supposedly requires them to do it. The only people protected are certain government employees of police departments, jails, courts, etc. Even then their names are revealed but under their employment address, so opportunities to abuse still exist.
IMO the laws regarding these things need to be tightened up.