Survey Of 15,000 Cops Finds Strong Opposition To Tougher Gun Control Laws

According to a survey released by law-enforcement support site PoliceOne.com, cops don’t really support tougher gun control laws including 95% who feel that a ban on high-capacity magazines won’t make us safer and 71% who say new bans on so-called “assault weapons” won’t make us safer either.

Via Reason, here’s a round-up of the results:

“Virtually all respondents (95 percent) say that a federal ban on manufacture and sale of ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds would not reduce violent crime.”

“The majority of respondents — 71 percent — say a federal ban on the manufacture and sale of some semi-automatics would have no effect on reducing violent crime. However, more than 20 percent say any ban would actually have a negative effect on reducing violent crime. Just over 7 percent took the opposite stance, saying they believe a ban would have a moderate to significant effect.”

“About 85 percent of officers say the passage of the White House’s currently proposed legislation would have a zero or negative effect on their safety, with just over 10 percent saying it would have a moderate or significantly positive effect.”

“Seventy percent of respondents say they have a favorable or very favorable opinion of some law enforcement leaders’ public statements that they would not enforce more restrictive gun laws in their jurisdictions. Similarly, more than 61 percent said they would refuse to enforce such laws if they themselves were Chief or Sheriff.”

“More than 28 percent of officers say having more permissive concealed carry policies for civilians would help most in preventing large scale shootings in public, followed by more aggressive institutionalization for mentally ill persons (about 19 percent) and more armed guards/paid security personnel (about 15 percent).”

What’s interesting is that these perspectives usually aren’t what we get from high-ranking law enforcement leaders, and law enforcement lobby groups, who are usually supportive of more restrictive gun policies.

There’s a disconnect, I think, between how law enforcement “brass” and special interests see this issue and how rank-and-file cops see the issue.