Grays Harbor County Sheriff says he won’t enforce new gun initiative that raises age limits

Update: Mason County Sheriff Casey Salisbury says he has also instructed deputies to not enforce I-1639 until a court rules on “the legality” of it.

Grays Harbor County Sheriff Rick Scott said Thursday he’s not enforcing the state’s new gun restriction initiative in its current state, according to the (Aberdeen) Daily World.

The new initiative, I-1639, raises the minimum age to purchase semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, calls for enhanced background checks and introduces new storage requirements for gun owners.

“Until the legality of I-1639 is resolved, I have instructed my deputies to take no enforcement action as it pertains to I-1639,” Scott said in a statement.

“Deputies will document such matters,” Scott said. “However, they will take no enforcement action. Nor will we pro-actively initiate investigations relative to I-1639.”

Scott added that he has discussed the concerns brought to him by citizens with fellow law enforcement partners in Grays Harbor County and members of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs.

Scott is not alone. Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer also told the Yakima Herald last week that he’s not enforcing the state’s new initiative, calling it unconstitutional.

“I think it’s a bad law and I think it violates people’s rights,” he said. “This law will do nothing to stop crime or do anything to make our communities safer. But what it will do is make criminals out of our honest citizens.”

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and Republic Police Chief Loren Culp announced shortly after the November general election that they wouldn’t enforce the new law, according to the Yakima Herald.

This story was originally published February 2, 2019 at 7:00 AM.