By Dave Workman | Senior Editor
PoliceOne.com, which has some 400,000 registered members, released the results of a nationwide survey of about 15,000 active duty and retired law enforcement officers showing that an overwhelming majority support concealed carry laws, while believing that gun “buy-back” programs do not reduce crime.
The survey, which involved law enforcement professionals at all ranks in large and small departments, was conducted online March 4-13, the organization said. Survey questions were composed and compiled by PoliceOne staff and the Pretorian Group, PoliceOne’s parent company, according to a press release.
The survey results may not appeal to organizations pushing various gun control measures, especially one question about so-called “assault weapons” that found 92 percent of the respondents saying that bans on such guns would have no effect, or a negative effect, on reducing violent crime.
Here are some of the other findings:
- 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
- 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
- 71.9 percent of the respondents either support the concept and practice of open carry, or support the concept but believe the practice is “misguided.”
- 86 percent feel the currently proposed legislation would have no effect or a negative effect on improving officer safety
- 91 percent said the use of a firearm while perpetrating a crime should lead to a stiff, mandatory sentence with no plea bargains.
- 59 percent believe increasing punishment severity for unlicensed dealers would reduce crime
- 82 percent believe gun buyback or turn-in programs are ineffective in reducing the level of gun violence
- 80 percent feel that legally-armed citizens would likely have reduced the number of casualties in recent mass shooting incidents
- 38 percent believe the biggest cause of gun violence in the United States is the “decline in parenting and family values”. This was trailed by “overly lax parole and short sentencing standards” at 15 percent and “pop culture influence” (eg. violent movies and video games) at 14 percent
The National Rifle Association issued a press release reacting to the survey results noting that the survey also revealed that 95.7 percent of the respondents believe a ban on ammunition magazines that hold more than ten rounds would not reduce crime.
“The American people, and particularly the members of law enforcement, want politicians in Washington to stop pursuing a failed political agenda and get to work fixing our broken mental health system, improving school security, and getting criminals off the streets,” said Chris Cox, head of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action.
Only 34.2 percent of the respondents said there is an active Open Carry movement in their jurisdictions.
About 80 percent of the survey participants are active duty law enforcement and the remainder are retired, according to PoliceOne.
