The number of people taking classes to obtain concealed weapons permits in Deschutes County has risen dramatically since last fall, due in part to fears of tighter gun regulation and the impact of the national recession, according to people who offer the classes and local gun retailers.

“We were scheduling a class every other month or once a quarter” until last fall, said Capt. Marc Mills of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. “Since fall of ’08, we began scheduling the concealed weapons class once a month because of the interest of people calling in for the class.”

Class sizes also have grown, from 25 to 30 people per class before last fall to 60 to 70 people per class since then, Mills said.

In the classes, people learn about Oregon concealed firearm laws, handgun safety and general safety tips, said Sgt. Paul Garrison, who is in charge of training.

The county offers the class for $25, and there also are several private teachers who conduct similar classes.

From April 2008 to April 2009, the number of people with concealed weapon permits in Deschutes County increased from 6,010 to 7,370. Not everyone who takes the class ultimately applies for a concealed weapon permit because people learn they can legally carry a gun at their side or in their vehicle, as long as it is visible, Mills said.

The Sheriff’s Office is the only place in Deschutes County where people can apply for a concealed weapon permit, Mills said. But people can take any of the classes offered in Central Oregon before applying for the permit.

Driving demand

Harry Brizee retired from the Sheriff’s Office more than a decade ago and teaches concealed weapon classes, as well as traffic safety. Brizee has noticed many more people in his classes after the presidential election, but now the numbers appear to be leveling off.

“Actually, just immediately following the election in November, the first class I put on had 67 people in the class,” Brizee said. “Normally, I have 10 to 30 people in a class. It was doubled or tripled.”

Kevin Moss, sporting goods manager at Cent Wise Sporting Goods in Redmond, which offers concealed weapon classes, said the store had to increase the frequency of classes from one every four weeks to one every 2½ to three weeks.

Gary George, a vice president of the Redmond Rod and Gun Club, said he talks to a lot of gun owners and hears two reasons why more people are purchasing firearms and seeking concealed weapon permits.

“One of the things that has happened to motivate people is the fall in the economy,” George said. “Whenever there is a fall in the economy, the crime rate goes up, and some people are responding to what they know is going to happen. There’s going to be more burglary; there’s going to be more robberies; there’s going to be more crime in general.”

George also cited the election last fall of President Barack Obama, whom many gun rights advocates believe will tighten firearms regulations.

Gun owners are concerned the Obama administration and Democratic Congress could advocate stricter gun laws or tax firearms and related products, George said.

“Along with this comes, ‘I’d better get my concealed carry permit now, so that if the federal laws change, I can be grandfathered in and keep my concealed carry permit.’”

Added Moss, “The (presidential) administration that’s in office right now has got everyone scared. Another thing is every time you hear news about crime, in a day we get 10 people that sign up for concealed weapon permit classes.”

Tom Lewis, owner of Lost Creek Armory in Bend, said his customers have a variety of reasons for purchasing firearms, including fear of tighter regulations.

“It doesn’t seem that things are going to head that way, though,” Lewis said.

Other people are concerned crime could rise, and law enforcement agencies, constrained by tight budgets, won’t be able to keep up with the increase.

In an e-mailed statement, a White House spokesman said Obama supports gun rights.

“The President believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, and he respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms,” the spokesman wrote. “His administration is committed to protecting the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport and use guns, while stopping firearms traffickers and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, terrorists and others prohibited from owning them.”

Mills, of the Sheriff’s Office, said he can only suggest that people research whether rumors about plans for increased gun regulations are true.

“But at this point, we don’t see anything on the horizon that’s going to change the concealed weapons law in Oregon, and I haven’t heard anything coming out of the Legislature,” Mills said.