What police think about gun control

by NW Spotlight

Last month, in March 2013, PoliceOne surveyed more than 15,000 active and retired members of law enforcement about gun control. PoliceOne is the leading law enforcement website in the country, and PoliceOne confirms the law enforcement status of all members.

Here is a summary of their findings of what police officers think about gun control:

• Majority (61%) don’t believe White House’s currently proposed legislation would improve police officer safety – an additional 25% think it would make police officers LESS safe
• Majority (71%) think an “assault weapon” ban would have NO EFFECT on reducing violent crime – an additional 21% think it would actually increase violent crime
• Majority (96%) don’t think ban on “high capacity” magazines (more than 10 rounds) would reduce violent crime
• Majority (82%) think gun buybacks or turn-in programs are NOT effective in reducing gun violence

What WOULD help? What WOULD work?

• Majority (59%) think increasing severity of punishment for gun trafficking would reduce gun crime
• Majority (91%) support mandatory sentences for crimes committed using a firearm
• Majority think legally-armed citizens are important to reducing crime – 55% think legally armed citizens are MOST important to reducing crime (on a scale of 1-5)
• Majority (91%) support concealed carry for civilians who aren’t felons or psychologically incapable
• Best way to prevent large scale public shootings is more permissive concealed carry policies for civilians (29% rating – top rating of 8 options)
• Majority (86%) think a legally-armed citizen could have reduced casualties or avoided casualties altogether at tragedies like Newtown or Aurora
• Majority (81%) support arming teachers and/or school administrators who volunteer, as long as they are vetted and trained

To see the complete survey, please click here. To read the April 8, 2013 PoliceOne press release on the survey, please click here.