What do the LEO members of THR think of the potential AWB?

Retired Chicago Police here. 90% of CPD is Not in favor of a AWB!! 90% of CPD is in favor for carried concealed. Don't believe all read read about the CPD being anti-gun

The support they claim from the LE community for an AWB tends to come from chiefs and other heads of agencies who are at-will political appointees by anti-gun politicians.

I don't see any personal evidence for support among the rank and file (or command staff), but then again I live in Alaska. I don't know how opinions might trend in a place like, say, NYC, where gun culture has been marginalized and restricted so long that a lot of NYPD officers probably had zero gun background before hiring on with that agency, etc.

On the other hand, I have met several officers from a couple different Massachussetts jurisdictions that fall in the general Boston metropolitan area, I guess (as far as I understand MA geography at that level) and none of them were fans of gun control or their state/local gun laws.

As a 35-year cop in Texas, I am opposed to efforts to enact the AWB, to limit magazine size, and to create any type of national firearms registry that would result from the Senate's plan for universal background checks.

Liberals would be happy if everyone was forced to relinquish their firearms but that really would only impact the law-abiding citizens. Criminals don't buy their guns where they have to have a background check. They steal them or buy them from someone who steals them.

And crooks don't buy high-dollar, high-quality weapons; they may steal them but they don't buy them. I pay for high quality weapons because I want to own and collect them and pass them on to my sons and grandchildren.

Liberals are not interested in facts. They are only interested in furthering their anti-gun agenda which is to limit the freedom of good, upstanding citizens who have no intention of every using a gun for a criminal reason.

More effort needs to be put into addressing the problem of people with mental illness gaining access to firearms. That is where I believe most of the effort needs to be made (along with enforcing the laws that are currently enacted). The people involved in most, if not all, of the horrendous acts of gun violence are people that were (are) mentally disturbed and should not have been allowed to have access to firearms.

The cops I work with are opposed to AWB because it is not about assault weapons or high capacity magazines; it is about restricting freedom.

I am grateful to live in Texas where common sense is still found in abundance.

I think it's offensive. I've been a police officer for 12 years, and a detective for 9. Most of the officers I know well also oppose it. Then again, most of the officers I am friendly enough with to hang around with outside of work are "gun people" themselves. Lots of cops aren't. Among those, support for the AWB is more common. I know one, cop, who was in my academy class, washed out because he couldn't shoot well enough, went to the sheriff's department for a few years, and practiced a lot on his own, then came back and passed through the academy two years later. He's one of those cops who just barely manages to qualify every year. He's not a gun guy at all. He's also one of those who will say "I just don't see why anyone needs a 30 round clip" (yes, he'll use the word clip). I've argued with him about it. But he's hardheaded.

My sense of it is that most cops are against the AWB. But a fair number have no strong opinion, and some even support it. Those in the latter two categories tend to be cops who aren't gun enthusiasts. No cop that I know personally and who is a gun enthusiast supports it.

So much for the rank and file. As for the brass... Well, I've no doubt our old chief (now thankfully gone) would have supported it. He was a northern liberal, and supported many politically liberal positions. He was also a creature of the city council. The sheriff is not in favor of new gun control laws, but the sheriff is an elected official, not an appointee.

I've been an LEO since 1977. I am a Life Member of the NRA and strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment.

I am totally against gun control, it is our right, and is one of the things that makes us uniquely American.

I am fortunate to live and work in a conservative, pro-gun, pro-Bible, red state - so yes I am one of the "clingers" according to the POTUS... Our state currently has several bills up that oppose any federal laws relating to gun control. They even have one that would authorize the arrest of any federal officer trying to enforce such, and another directing the Attorney General to prosecute. Now, will federal law trump state law,.... :-( Bottom line, the message is strong and has been sent.

I can say, and most of the officers that I work with feel the same way, we will not disarm American citizens in violation of the US Constitution.

100% against any legislation. I've never made one arrest for a gun related crime in which the person obtained the gun legally. Bad guys don't follow laws, and I think that most cops know that. Like another post said, I think that most rank and file cops are against an AWB. The chiefs who come out and say they are for it are politically motivated. I think the police departments that supplied Di-Fi with the guns for her little stunt are a disgrace to police officers. Police departments are supposed to enforce laws and not get involved in politics.

I will say that I am stunned by the cops who stand behind Obama and others at their rallies. These cops must live under rocks and never do any type of "real" police work. If they did, they would know that these laws will not make a difference in crime.

Oh, BTW, I had a co-worker killed by an AR-15 and responded to assist another agency in which an officer was killed by an AR-15. I am offended when these politicians say that they are passing these bills to try to protect police officers. I wish they would support more funding for police departments to provide more officers with increased fire power.

Twenty years LEO, currently detective sergeant. Hell no! Most of my co-workers are of the same opinion. Gun control doesn't work. Its the political appointee chiefs that voice support for suppressing our rights.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

I think the police departments that supplied Di-Fi with the guns for her little stunt are a disgrace to police officers. Police departments are supposed to enforce laws and not get involved in politics.

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I think those officers are a disgrace too, but what can you expect? Police departments, like all other organization, get bad apples too. Moreover, the brass tend to be more and more political the higher up the promotion ladder they go. By the time they get to be assistant chiefs and chiefs, they are dealing with city councils all the time and are neck deep in politics. By this time they are also usually years removed from the street, and so have faded memories of the realities there.

And let's not forget one last thing -- and I say this with a heavy heart, for I am a cop and wish it weren't true -- but there are some people who are drawn to our profession because they like having authority over other people. Is it any surprise that some of those types of officers would support gun control laws, being as those are one more way of controlling people.

Very much against it.

Very much for ccw, permitted and constitutional. I dig the AZ way.

Most of our guys have one or more black rifles and wuould be just as effected off duty as anybody else (work guns are for work and nothing else).

It makes no difference what they think, what matters is what they do! I could care less what they think, in the end, almost every last one of them will storm your home for thwe guys/gals that sign their paychecks, don't you for one moment believe otherwise.

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http://www.bizpacreview.com/2013/01...eriffs-reject-obama-assault-weapons-ban-16705

Maybe you should read this before making a statement like that. Also, cops have this thing called discretion...which means they can choose whether or not they take law enforcement action depending on the situation. In addition to this, I can't speak for other departments, but my department has specifically told officers that we are certified by the state, and we are unable to enforce federal laws, so unless the state changed its laws, we could not arrest people based on what a federal law says (this order was not associated with any gun legislation in mind).

my wife's father, godfather and uncle were all on the same PD here for a time, her dad retired, so did her godfather but her uncle is now our chief of police so i have a rather decent relationship with MOST of my local LEOS. every officer i know is very against any form of additional gun control, our county sheriff on the other hand...well i'll be polite and say i dont have a high opinion of him or the majority of his staff, but i can say that some of them are opposed and some are all for it.

Every time I see a price gouger in the classifieds...every time I read a cop bashing thread...every time a company lists that it is not willing to sell to an individual LEO....I support a ban just a little more. Fact is, if there is a ban the civies are screwed and the supply for LEO's just went back to normal. We are either in this together or I look out for #1.

Retired Army CID Special Agent. The AWB is a direct violation of the 2nd Amendment, since the M-16 / M-4 is the modern equivalent of the 18th Century musket.:banghead::banghead::banghead:

Oh, and yeah, the 1934 National Firearms Act and the Hughes Amendment are also both Unconstitutional, for the same reason.

Price gouging? You mean charging the current market price? As for cop bashing what are you taking about? And why should a gun maker sell something to the cops that they can't sell to the rest of us? You said we are either in this together or you are in it for yourself. Sounds more like you want different rules for you than for the rest of us.

Criminals will still get firearms no matter how many times the politicians change the definition of "assault weapon." They are merely making a mountain out of an ant hill by going after such a small section of violent crime committed with firearms. Anti-AWB.

I was a LEO & have been a victim of the P.D.! Even though I have seen misconduct by L.E. I must say that I have to disagree with the idea that all police are bad. Yes there are bad apples out there & the police should do more to get rid of bad police! But to say they are all bad is not true! The 29 palms paper didn't show what you say eather! It showed that about 3/4s were against gun confiscated! Also that paper was given to active duty military! Not police if I remember right.

You have no idea what the facts are! If you did, you would not have post what you did! If you knew what was fact, you would realize that you just stuck a size 16 boot in your mouth! Sorry but someone had to say it! If you only knew!

In the final analysis, it's probably every man for himself. Good luck to us all.

Current LE. The rank and file seems to be either against the AWB, or apethetic about it. There are other things going on in life besides bad gun legislation. Some of the normal joes have interests outside of guns.

As far as support goes, I only see it from the higher ups that are in the appointed positions. There are maybe two supporters I know of on the line level. Those two are the ones that also have come out and said that being in the military isn't a worthwhile thing. Those two don't understand service to the country or their community, either. They are rabble-rousers at work that constantly kiss a** and piss people off on calls. Maybe my department can get rid of them, and the line staff can be 100% against the AWB.

Studies exist? Seriously? That "study" was a questionnaire devised by a junior officer, doing research for a master's thesis, given out to 300 (not that many completed it) junior Marines -- in 1994. At least do a tad bit more research on the internet before you refer to that tripe -- see if you can find even one more "study" that exists to prove your contention. Incidentally, if you find the real numbers for that particular questionnaire -- NOTHING was demonstrated conclusively. Do you need directions?

At any rate, to get back to the original question. Most of my guys are all gun guys, most of the female officers are not. Sad truth. But -- I've heard zero comments in favor of an AWB -- most of the internet commandos need to realize that cops see this sort of legislation for what it is: empty words that won't keep anyone, anywhere, any safer.

I reject the AWB, categorically.

xxx

BigBore44 said:

Ok guys I want to get back on topic here. I want to hear from LEO's. Retired or active. I don't want opinions from someone who isn't in LE. Not in this thread anyways. This is research. I mean to offend no one and start no arguments. If this goes off topic the mods will close it. I don't want that yet. I'm asking nicely. Please, only LEO's.

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With all due respect, Research? On a public gun forum???

Sorry, but EVERYONE on THR has a right to post their opinions on any open thread. There are much better avenues to do research than a public forum.

Despite the dozens of county sheriffs against federal gun laws, there will be far too many who will comply with gun confiscation orders in my opinion. How many will actually risk their own careers and family to disobey direct orders in the military or the police force?