What kind of LEO percentage supports the 2A?

[Gun]

Many anti-2A organizations say that the majority of Law Enforcement Officers favor stringent gun control, which I can imagine some probably do depending on how they were raised. Though, I tend to see quite a few LEO's posting on firearm forums, and have even seen a pro-Gun LEO activist group.

I think the Law Enforcement community can be a big help as supporters of the 2A.

 

[AZretired]

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) strongly support gun control but the average cop does not. Also I don't know what percentage of cops are shooters. From my own experience a gun is just a necessary tool to a lot of cops and the only time they shoot is to qualify.

 

[ASA335]

Ditto above about IACP.

Otherwise, I thnk it tends to depend on what part of the country you are from, even what city. Here in the NW most cops and LE administrators I know are 2A friendly, but the more densly populated metro areas (i. e. Portland and Seattle) have their share of admin/cops that are not as friendly toward private ownership - luckily the state's population easily counters that.

Peace,

 

[oldman45]

Ditto above about IACP.

Otherwise, I thnk it tends to depend on what part of the country you are from, even what city. Here in the NW most cops and LE administrators I know are 2A friendly, but the more densly populated metro areas (i. e. Portland and Seattle) have their share of admin/cops that are not as friendly toward private ownership - luckily the state's population easily counters that.

Peace,

100% correct.

Some areas have more restricted ideas on guns than others. Places like D.C., Chicago, NYC and the like will see LEO against private gun ownership and possession. Other places like Dallas, TX, Jackson, MS, Little Rock, Ar and those areas in the south will be very receptive to guns in their areas.

 

[JamesArthur60]

I agree that the everyday street cop supports private ownership of firearms. But the non working top cops (IACP) support gun control. At that level, politics come into play, not common sense. I also agree the vast majority of cops are not shooters. Their sidearm is just another piece of needed equipment.

 

[The Big D]

I will comment as a LEO albeit one now retired.

LEO's are sworn to uphold the Constitution, For most, it's part of their oath of office. Of course, the 2nd Amendment is part of the Constitution.

That said, I do not support open carry...particularly in urban settings. I am also of the belief that carry should be regulated. By regulated, I mean there should be background checks and regular qualifications/training if one wants to tote a gun on their person.

I have no problems whatsoever with "shall issue" rules/policies provided there is a level of review/training.

Be safe.

 

[M29since14]

Today, I doubt 10% of the police officers I bump into here in Indiana think the public has any business with a handgun, much less the right to carry one in public for self-defense. As the years have gone by, I think that percentage has steadily decreased. The younger generation seems particularly militant about that. I hope this is just a local phenomenon.

Based on that, I am not too inclined to vote for LEOs running for public office, but I do try to look at each candidate individually. We just saw a retired chief who was/is gun-unfriendly take a thorough shellacking in a primary race for sheriff. He was trying to be "careful" about his position. Didn't work. The good voters had had enough of his nonsense - on a variety of issues.

 

[sgt.207]

Most police officers that i worked with supported the 2A. Most bosses i knew did not --- they felt that they were the only ones who should carry a firearm; and their egos were too big to even think about the 2A.

 

[zainyD]

...From my own experience a gun is just a necessary tool to a lot of cops and the only time they shoot is to qualify.

This is sadly true. However, the majority of the guys I work with are pro-gun and pro-2nd Amendment. I probably shoot more than any of them though. If I need to save my life or the life of somebody else I better be proficient with the tool I'm using. Plus I just enjoy shooting.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

In my experience (retired chief), many of the law enforcement related organizations speak out in favor of gun control laws. The International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police (both of which I was a member of) regularly support any gun control laws that come up; however neither of those organizations ever asked members' opinions or conducted any polling of members. In short, public statements are made by the big shots within the organization, many of whom have political aspirations themselves and want public exposure.

Our Colorado Constitution states that the right of citizens to keep and bear arms shall not be questioned. On several occasions, when association officers spoke publicly in favor of restrictions on citizens' rights to keep and bear arms, I pointed this out to them and reminded them of their oath to support and defend our Constitution. Then I demanded their resignations, based upon their public violation of their oaths of office.

Never got any resignations, but I made a strong point of it more than once.

I truly doubt that the majority of officers are in favor of disarming the public, and I think most would be the first to tell anyone that cops very seldom arrive before any crime has been completed and the perpetrators are long gone. But, most law enforcement agencies have regulations prohibiting officers from making public statements about any legal or policy issues, so the rank-and-file officers are seldom heard on any issue.

 

[kraigwy]

I read a poll, I think it was on Officer.com where 80% of "street cops" supported the 2nd Amen. I dont know about administratiors, they are a differant lot altogether.

I belive the above percentage was low compaired to the dept. I worked for.

 

[safearm]

As I recall from my LE career, there are very few administrators, chiefs, sheriffs, superintendants (excluding Jody Weiss from Chicago), etc., that were not street cops at some point, normally the beginning, of their careers. I've always been a firm believer and practitioner of the 2nd Amendment, however, when I was on a traffic stop or call, particularly a domestic violence call, my interpretation of the "right to bear arms" changed dramatically with the circumstances. I preferred to be the only one present with immediate access to a firearm. After a lifetime of these types of confrontations, it's easy, but not always realistic, to adopt a "gun control" stance. I've never had a problem with an armed citizen exercising his/her legal rights to gun ownership, carry, and use, but I also believe that open carry is an invitation to a problem. I'd rather have someone carry concealed, and I never know about it (unless I ask re: probable cause), rather than having to openly address the issue of more than one person (me) having a gun on their hip. I guess it boils down to a question of personal safety at the moment versus rights as a society.

 

[Firehouse]

I'm not an LEO but I am friends and acquaintances with many. The ones I know love to shoot recreationally and are of the opinion that favors private gun ownership and legal concealed carry. I have a friend that is a shift Lt. in the local PD that stated he felt that in most situations a private citizen carrying concealed has a better chance of stopping an active shooter with lethal force than responding officers. By the time they arrive it's either too late or the shooter has left the area.

Of course I live in the south where most of us are raised using and collecting firearms. To find a home without at least two or three in it is rare.

 

[Hoplophile]

As noted previously, it varies by region. In my experience, most northeastern officers (Ohio to Delaware and points north) tend to view concealed carry as a cop perk. There are several exceptions to this, obviously.

Most western cops (excluding Kalifornia) are pretty pro-gun. Southern varies as well.

All the above comments refer to "silver badges" (lower ranking street cops), not "gold badges" who in many cases tend to follow the dictates of city hall.

In 1997 I was chairman of the PAC that opposed I-676, a handgun owner licensing initiative in Washington state. 85% of rank & file police officers (and/or their unions/guilds) came out AGAINST the initiative -- publicly. 34 of 39 county sheriffs came out AGAINST (only ONE was in favor and the other four straddled the fence). Many (but by no means all) bigger city chiefs came out FOR.

Despite newspaper polling that showed 65% support FOR the initiative, on election day -- the only poll that counts -- the vote was 71% AGAINST. Thanks in no small part to vocal police opposition.

The only major population center to vote a majority "yes" was core Seattle. All the Seattle suburbs (except one) voted "no." All other cities in Washington voted "no."

 

[heeter3]

Several months ago the executive director of the Illinois Police Association wrote in an article in the associations official journal that the association was against a group of concealed carry bills making their way through the ILLINOIS general assembly .The response from the membership must have been overwhelming because the next issues journal article (February 1, 2010) written by him apoligized for assuming that the membership did not support civilian concealed carry.In fact at the associations convention the rank and file members voted to direct him to give the full support of the association to the bills being considered.Seems to show that most of the people on top (chiefs executive directors and the like) are totally out of touch with the guys who actually do the job for a living . As a retired guy I am in full support of 2A.

 

[jlw]

Interacting with armed citizens isn't a question of the Second Amendment. It is a question of the Fourth Amendment.

The 2A invites too much debate concerning what it means and the placement of comas and allows much personal opinion to seep into the equation. If the focus is on the 4A, the debate shifts much more to the citizen's favor, and it becomes much more teachable. SCOTUS has ruled that there is no firearms/weapon exception to the 4A; therefore, seeing an armed citizen absent no articulable reason to believe criminal activity is afoot, there is no reason for a peace officer to confront the citizen.

 

[usmc1369]

I will comment as a LEO albeit one now retired.

LEO's are sworn to uphold the Constitution, For most, it's part of their oath of office. Of course, the 2nd Amendment is part of the Constitution.

That said, I do not support open carry...particularly in urban settings. I am also of the belief that carry should be regulated. By regulated, I mean there should be background checks and regular qualifications/training if one wants to tote a gun on their person.

I have no problems whatsoever with "shall issue" rules/policies provided there is a level of review/training.

Be safe.

i dont recall any qualifications/training requirements in the constatuion , so am i to guess you only swore to up hold the parts that you liked

 

[A10]

First off, in my experience, the chiefs of any police organization I ever met didn't even like their officers carrying guns. Too much liability, and god forbid if you ever had to use it in the line of duty. Most of the officers I met who had been involved in a shooting (caveat: this was about 20 years ago) were more concerned about persecution by their "peers" during the investigation than prosecution by the courts. Second, the IACP is an INTERNATIONAL organization. How many of those are out to protect OUR rights? Third, check out Home. This is an organization of street cops. This one might make you a bit more comfortable about sworn officers and their beleif in the constitution.

BTW, please excuse the rant. I had friends damaged as the result of careless and uncaring investigations..

 

[The Big D]

i dont recall any qualifications/training requirements in the constatuion , so am i to guess you only swore to up hold the parts that you liked

Oh, so you're one of the people who think a 14 year old should be able to exercise his/her Constitutional Rights and carry a pistol. I see...

 

[safearm]

Another example of Chicago's politcal twist

A Calumet Heights woman has been charged in the slaying of a female friend who was shot multiple times at a Thursday night card game, officials announced Sunday night.

Rosie Morris, 46, of the 9300 block of South Ridgeland Avenue, is charged with one count of first-degree murder and is scheduled to appear in bond court Monday.

A spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office identified the victim as Patricia Clark, 51.

The victim was playing cards at Morris' house Thursday night when an argument flared between her and the suspect, police said. The suspect then went into a back bedroom, grabbed a gun, and shot the victim several times at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.

Clark was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and died from her injuries at 8:41 p.m. Saturday, the medical examiner's office said.

"What a horrible loss of life over a card game," Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis said later Sunday at a press conference discussing Chicago's May crime statistics. "If that gun wasn't in the house, there's probably an excellent chance that woman would be alive today. It's the perfect example of the dangers of having a weapon inside the home with folks who, in my opinion, do not have emotional maturity and stability to have such a weapon inside the house."