Police view of gun issue - strongly against gun control laws

[CitizenBBN]

I figured LEOs in general would be pro gun rights, but not as overwhelming as this study showed. Great study b/c it was done by PoliceOne.com, which has something like 400,000 LEO members and this was only to them, with 15,000 responses from LE entities of all sizes. Some of the highlights:

86 percent feel the currently proposed White House legislation would have no effect or a negative effect on improving officer safety, 25% think it will make police LESS safe versus 11.5% who think will help at all.

Similarly, 92 percent feel that banning semi-automatic firearms, or “assault weapons,” would have no effect or a negative effect on reducing violent crime. 20% of that 92% thinks it will make for MORE violent crime, not less.

Demonstrating the opinion that the best way to combat gun crime is through harsher punishment, 91 percent said the use of a firearm while perpetrating a crime should lead to a stiff, mandatory sentence with no plea bargains. Likewise, 59 percent believe increasing punishment severity for unlicensed dealers would reduce crime

Respondents were more split on background checks, with 31 percent agreeing that mental health background checks in all gun sales would help reduce mass shootings, while 45 percent disagreed

71 percent support law enforcement leaders who have publicly refused to enforce more restrictive gun laws within their jurisdictions

70% are against any kind of gun tracking or registry

82 percent believe gun buyback or turn-in programs are ineffective in reducing the level of gun violence

91 percent support the concealed carry of firearms by civilians who have not been convicted of a felony and/or have not been deemed psychologically incapable.

Likewise, 80 percent feel that legally-armed citizens would likely have reduced the number of casualties in recent mass shooting incidents. 75% think teachers and administrators should be able to carry. 28% chose "more permissive carry laws" as the best way to prevent mass public shootings, one of 8 choices where the next most chosen was 11%. Needless to say a ban on assault weapons was less than 1%.


I was particularly surprised by the overwhelming support of concealed carry. These are people who have the most to fear from someone in a gun who clearly see that those with permits are ON THEIR SIDE. They get that teachers or other civilians who carry are an asset to law enforcement and other innocent civilians, and only a detriment to those intent on doing harm.

This is just me, but maybe we ought to listen closely to the opinions of the people who have the most real world experience with criminals and gun violence. You know, rather than ignore them and listen to people who have never held real jobs, have lived in white bread suburbs their whole lives and wouldn't know which end of a rifle to hold.




Some links for reference if you want to see the details:

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130408006439/en/PoliceOne.com-Releases-Survey-15000-Law-Enforcement-Professionals

http://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/articles/6188462-policeones-2013-gun-policy-law-enforcement-survey-results-executive-summary/

[Doc]

Interesting because the administration aka the White House aka president Obama, is trumpeting this as something that will make law enforcement officers jobs safer.

[Doc]

Although I will clarify that the legislation that Obama is stumping for is the background check, not assault weapons bans

[CitizenBBN]

Although I will clarify that the legislation that Obama is stumping for is the background check, not assault weapons bans

The White House is stumping for both. He was in Connecticut and endorsed their ban, and it was in the original bills Biden blessed. The Senate has dropped it from the primary bill b/c it would poison pill anything else, so they aren't pushing for it in the Senate now, but they're lobbying for it in the states and it's still on his list of proposals.

Yes it's interesting these proposals are all being heralded as being for public safety when the people responsible for public safety say they're either going to do nothing or make it worse. Basically the vast majority do in fact think more guns in the hands of more law abiding people is a good thing and one of the best solutions available for mass shootings and gun violence in general.

[dan_bgblue]

I was particularly surprised by the overwhelming support of concealed carry. These are people who have the most to fear from someone in a gun who clearly see that those with permits are ON THEIR SIDE.

They know that the vast majority of people that take the time and spend the money to legally carry a concealed weapon are honest, law abiding citizens that are only trying to protect themselves and their families. I think they believe that they little to fear from these people.

Reid has made it known that there will be amendments presented to the bill before a vote and one of them will be a ban on assault weapons and large magazines

[CitizenBBN]

Reid has made it known that there will be amendments presented to the bill before a vote and one of them will be a ban on assault weapons and large magazines

Yep. The White House supports the "amendment" to ban assault weapons. It won't pass, but they support a ban.

[suncat05]

And what the LEO poll showed you guys is exactly what I've said here several times......... I WANT our law abiding citizens to be armed and capable of defending themselves. It is their Constitutional right, by law.
The police just cannot be everywhere, nor do you want them to be. And when you need a police officer now, most assuredly they'll be many minutes away.

[CitizenBBN]

NRA has put together a video. The anti-gun people like to give the image that police support their policies, and some do, but clearly the vast majority do not. This survey can maybe help get the word out.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAmsYO3QHkM&feature=player_embedded

[kritikalcat]

There are exceptions both ways; but historically street cops have typically been supporters of the right to keep and bear arms, and police administrators have been in favor of more controls. Keep in mind that most of the top police administrators, especially of major cities, are appointed by (very liberal) mayors / city councils.

[suncat05]

There are exceptions both ways; but historically street cops have typically been supporters of the right to keep and bear arms, and police administrators have been in favor of more controls. Keep in mind that most of the top police administrators, especially of major cities, are appointed by (very liberal) mayors / city councils.

Go figure, huh? Now contrast that against the majority of Sheriff's, who are elected, and who mostly are against any further gun control measures aside from what is already on the books. Most 'appointed' police chiefs are going to do and say whatever their political patrons tell them to say/do so they can keep their cushy jobs. They only answer to their political masters, unlike the county Sheriff who answers directly to the voters in their respective county.
And while the job of Police Chief or Sheriff may be remarkably similiar in nature, method, and operationally, how each functions are different animals due to how each achieves their rank and whom they really answer to.