CHL Central - Douglas County

Sheriff:

John Hanlin
1036 SE Douglas Ave
Roseburg, Oregon 97470


Phone: (541) 440-4450
Fax: (541) 957-8140

As of 12.27.08, the Douglas County Sheriff's website page for CHL applicants and licensees is riddled with inaccuracies.
For example, they state on the web page that "Any person who intentionally possesses a loaded or unloaded firearm or any other instrument used as a dangerous weapon, while in or on a Court facility shall upon conviction be guilty of a Class C felony."

Fair enough, but then they go on to state:

(1) A Court facility is defined as follows:
A county courthouse or that portion of any other building occupied by a court or occupied by personnel related to court operations, or in which activities related to court operations take place.

But that is only part of the statute. The actual law says:
(2) “Court facility” means a courthouse or that portion of any other building occupied by a circuit court, the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court or the Oregon Tax Court or occupied by personnel related to the operations of those courts, or in which activities related to the operations of those courts take place.

This is an important distinction.For example, nowhere in this definition would you find a "municipal court." But, if you just accepted the Sheriff's definition, you would not know that.

The Sheriff also states on his webpage relating to possession of firearms on Indian reservations and Indian property:

"You must have written permission of the tribal judge. This also applies to certain casinos that are on Indian lands."

While there may be an Indian tribe somewhere in Oregon that requires this, we know of none, and in fact, gun shows have taken place often on tribal property with no such requirements. Furthermore, there is nothing in state law that requires this.

The CHL application posted on the sheriff's website (as of 12.27.08) also states :
"Possession of a concealed handgun license does not authorize you to carry a firearm in any federal building, on airport property..."

This is also incorrect. The restriction on concealed carry only apply beyond the security checkpoints in public airports.

The Douglas County application also says:

"United States Citizenship Requirements.

Applicants who were not born in the United States but who have become naturalized U.S. citizens, or who were born in foreign countries as U.S. citizens, must present proof of citizenship at the time of appointment (note - do not mail them; bring them to your appointment.) . A work permit or a legal resident alien card does not meet this requirement. Methods that can prove your citizenship status include a U.S. Passport, a certificate of citizenship, an FFS240 (Foreign Service Document) issued at birth, a U.S. Birth Certificate or your original naturalized citizenship certificate. No photocopies accepted."

However the law is quite different. It states that the applicant:

(a)(A) Is a citizen of the United States; or
(B) Is a legal resident alien who can document continuous residency in the county for at least six months and has declared in writing to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services the intent to acquire citizenship status and can present proof of the written declaration to the sheriff at the time of application for the license;



Website: http://www.dcso.com/concealed_handguns.asp

Application

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