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Photo by Bob Pennell Greg Gritsch, firearms instructor for the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and a part-time pawn shop employee, says background checks at gun shows are useful but limited. Gun show checks target loophole By Peter Wong of the Mail Tribune Friends and foes agree that some criminals will be denied guns if Oregon voters approve a proposed ballot measure to require background checks for all gun purchasers at gun shows. But they also say the measure, similar to bills that died in the 1999 Legislature, is only a small step toward reducing gun violence. Jackson County Sheriff Bob Kennedy, one of the measure's chief sponsors, said Friday he supports it because it puts licensed dealers on an equal footing with private sellers at gun shows. Dealers are required to conduct the background checks, but private sellers are not. "The legislation we propose today really closes a loophole in our laws," Kennedy said. "This is not an attempt to make guns illegal or cut into individual rights." Kennedy said deputies have not conclusively linked a gun sold at a gun show, without a background check of the purchaser, to its use in a local crime. But he said that "four or five times a year," deputies have caught people who are barred from having guns yet bought them where checks are not conducted. "Even if you catch only a few, you have caught them," said state Rep. Judy Uherbelau, D-Ashland, one of just two Southern Oregon legislators who voted for the 1999 bills. "That will help." Other initiative sponsors are state Sen. Ginny Burdick, a Democrat from Portland and chief advocate of one of the failed 1999 bills, and Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Noelle. A couple of Medford gun dealers say the proposed extension of background checks to all purchasers at gun shows is not a problem for them. "My customers do not seem to be bothered with the checks, either at retail stores or at gun shows," said John Milne, owner of Milne's Guns, who does not sell at gun shows. "They are bothered when the system does not work." He said the instant-check system by the Oregon State Police for purchasers of handguns works well, but the federal system for rifles and shotguns isn't as quick. "This is not going to help us or hurt us," said Dan Thornton, manager of Good Guys Guns, who does sell at gun shows. Greg Gritsch of Medford has a unique view of the issue. He is a sheriff's deputy and firearms instructor for his department -- and a part-time employee at Medford Pawn. He said the requirement for criminal background checks is not a problem with him. But he said it can be an impediment for legitimate gun purchasers -- and people simply trying to get their own guns back from pawn shops. "Everybody will be affected," he said. "Yes, we are talking about guns -- but there still is a right of someone to sell his property to another person." Gritsch said he's not convinced that gun-control laws deter incidents such as this week's shootings in Hawaii, which he said has tight restrictions on ownership. A rival measure is planned by Oregon Gun Owners, which also supports background checks at gun shows but wants to ease record-keeping requirements for gun owners and enhance penalties for gun-related crimes. It supported the 1999 legislation but failed to reach agreement with the sponsors of the other initiative. "I believe Oregonians will not turn down a measure for background checks at gun shows," said John Hellen, its administrator. "But we want to offer an alternative that was good for gun owners and crime control." Oregon State Police now keeps records of handgun purchases for five years. The rival measure would exempt holders of concealed-weapons permits from further background checks -- Jackson County had issued 7,730 such permits as of Wednesday -- and increase prison terms for people convicted of using a firearm in a crime. Either initiative would require 66,786 signatures to qualify for the November 2000 general election. State Rep. Rob Patridge, R-Medford, said he shares some of Hellen's concerns. He said paperwork requirements should be eased and gun transfers among family members should be exempt from background checks. Patridge and state Sen. Lenn Hannon, R-Ashland, opposed the 1999 bills. "One of the tragedies is that after this week's shootings in Seattle and Honolulu, we demand more and more controls on guns -- but we do nothing to identify and treat those who are mentally ill who get their hands on guns," Hannon said. "We can talk all we want about the symptoms, but let's treat the cause and get them help." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA