OAR 462-120-0020: Search; Warrant/Warrantless

(1) Any person who applies for or is issued a license by the commission and any person who enters a restricted area is deemed to have given consent to a warrantless search by commission investigators or stewards of the person's personal property (including clothing worn and items carried by the person), the person's vehicle and any premises which the person occupies while the person or the property is in any place under the jurisdiction of the commission, subject to the following: (a) The investigators or stewards may search during times that the race meet is licensed to conduct racing and for 30 days prior to the beginning and 30 days after the end of the race meet. (b) The investigators or stewards may search when they have a reasonable suspicion that the person possesses stolen property, a prohibited or injectable drug or medication, controlled substance, unauthorized hypodermic instrument, needle or syringe, unauthorized mechanical or electrical devices, unauthorized equipment, contraband (including illegal gambling paraphernalia), weapon or other evidence of a violation of racing statute or administrative rules. (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b), the investigators may perform a periodic inspection of the jockey room, including the assigned space of any jockey. The investigators may also periodically use a metal detector to inspect each jockey for contraband prior to leaving the jockey area for the saddling paddock. These inspections may be conducted without prior notice. (d) If the subject of the search is not an applicant for a license or licensed by the commission, the search may be conducted only if the person was given oral or written notice of this rule upon entering the restricted area, or if the person is a trespasser onto the restricted area. (e) If the search concerns the person or the property of a licensee who is represented by an association pertaining to racing and recognized by the Oregon Racing Commission, the person will be informed that they have the right to have an association representative to witness the search, if one is available at that time or within 15 minutes of the time that the search is requested by the investigator or steward. If the licensee is not informed of the right, it will not invalidate the search. If the representative is not immediately available, the subject of the search must be under the observation of the investigator or steward until the representative arrives or fails to arrive in the prescribed time. (f) Failure of any person to consent to a search in accordance with this rule will subject the person to appropriate discipline, including, if the person is a licensee, suspension and ruling-off by the stewards, and possible revocation by the commission, or will subject the person to ejection and/or exclusion from places under the jurisdiction of the commission if an applicant or other unlicensed person. All persons to be searched shall be advised that failure to permit a search may result in revocation of their license (if a licensee) or exclusion from restricted premises (if not licensed). (g) Nothing in this rule prohibits the application for and the execution of an administrative or criminal search warrant if appropriate under the circumstances. (2) Any person in custody or control of any materials described in subsection (1)(b) of this rule shall immediately surrender those materials to an investigator upon request. Every race meet licensee and all officials and employees thereof shall give every possible aid and assistance to any department, bureau, division, officer, agent, inspector, or other person connected with the United States government or with the State of Oregon or other political subdivision who may be investigating or prosecuting any person suspected of possessing any drug, narcotic, stimulant, depressant, or local anesthetic, hypodermic syringes, hypodermic needles, or any electrical, mechanical, or other device which, in the opinion of the stewards, is of such character as could affect the racing condition of a horse in a race. Upon the specific request of the individual being searched, a split sample of any suspected prohibited drug or medication, or controlled substance, or other material suspected of containing any of them shall be obtained unless there is insufficient specimen for a split sample. Any materials surrendered to an investigator pursuant to this rule will be returned, subject to amounts needed for analysis, if it is later found that the material was lawfully possessed.