Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Survey Finds Law Enforcement United Against Gun Control

Monday, April 8, 2013

99 Percent Believe "Assault Weapons" Ban is Not Most Important
Measure to Stop Mass Shootings

FAIRFAX, Va. – PoliceOne.com released today the results of an extensive survey of about 15,000 active and retired law enforcement officers of all ranks and from departments ranging in size from less than 25 to more than 1,000.

These results strongly show that law enforcement officers do not support President Obama’s gun control agenda. They do, however, strongly support the Right-to-Carry by law-abiding Americans. The survey respondents are united in their desire for politicians to focus on keeping firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill and to reject unconstitutional gun control measures that infringe on Second Amendment rights. 

“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 the executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, Chris W. Cox.

The following are some key findings: 

  • 99 percent said policies other than an “assault weapons” ban are most important to prevent mass shootings. 
  • Almost 96 percent said that a ban on standard capacity magazines would not reduce violent crime. 
  • More than 91 percent stated that the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime should have stiff, mandatory sentences, and no plea-bargains. 
  • More than 91 percent stated they supported the Right-to-Carry by law abiding Americans. 
  • More than 81 percent said that “gun buy-backs” do not reduce gun violence. 
  • 80 percent believe legally armed citizens can reduce casualties in incidents of mass violence. 
  • Nearly 80 percent said that a ban on private transfers of firearms between law-abiding citizens would not reduce violent crime. 
  • More than 76 percent indicated that legally armed citizens are important to reducing crime. 
  • More than 76 percent support the arming of trained and qualified teachers or administrators who volunteer to carry a firearm. 
  • More than 70 percent said that a ban on “assault weapons” would not reduce violent crime. 
  • More than 70 percent opposed the idea of a national registry of legal gun sales. 
  • Nearly 68 percent said magazine capacity restrictions would negatively affect them personally. 
  • More than 60 percent said that the passage of Obama’s gun control legislation would not improve officer safety.

Click here to read the complete survey: http://ddq74coujkv1i.cloudfront.net/p1_gunsurveysummary_2013.pdf

-NRA-
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. More than four million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Be sure to follow the NRA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NationalRifleAssociation and on Twitter @NRA.

TRENDING NOW
Virginia: Gun Bill Updates As Crossover Deadline Arrives

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Virginia: Gun Bill Updates As Crossover Deadline Arrives

Today, February 17th is the legislative crossover deadline in Virginia, and any bills that have not left their chamber of origin by the end of the day are considered dead for the session.

VA Announces End To Policy that Strips the Second Amendment Rights of Veterans

News  

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

VA Announces End To Policy that Strips the Second Amendment Rights of Veterans

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that the VA will no longer report veterans to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) solely because they have been assigned a fiduciary to assist them ...

New Mexico Legislature Adjourns!

Thursday, February 19, 2026

New Mexico Legislature Adjourns!

Today at noon, the New Mexico legislature adjourned sine die from the 2026 legislative session. Despite efforts by anti-gun advocates, Second Amendment supporters were able to engage and help prevent two radical anti-gun proposals from ...

Oregon: Legal and Policy Concerns Ignored as Ballot Measure 114 Implementation Bill Advances

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Oregon: Legal and Policy Concerns Ignored as Ballot Measure 114 Implementation Bill Advances

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee held a work session to “fix” the extremely flawed gun control Ballot Measure 114, where it was advanced out of the committee. 

Virginia Gun Owners Face Magazine Confiscation!

Monday, February 2, 2026

Virginia Gun Owners Face Magazine Confiscation!

Astute Virginia gun owners anticipated terrible gun control legislation from the 2026 General Assembly. Still, some may be shocked to learn that anti-rights zealots in the Virginia Senate have advanced a bill to CONFISCATE standard capacity firearm ...

New Mexico: Anti-Gun Bills Heard in Committee

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

New Mexico: Anti-Gun Bills Heard in Committee

Today, Senate Bill 17, the omnibus gun control bill, was heard in the House Judiciary Committee and Senate Bill 261, expanding gun free zones around ballot drop boxes and polling places, was heard in the House Government ...

North Carolina: Permitless Carry Veto Override Vote Postponed

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

North Carolina: Permitless Carry Veto Override Vote Postponed

Today, the North Carolina House of Representatives rescheduled this morning’s veto override on Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, to February 9, 2026.

News  

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Mental Health and Firearms

Since 1966, the National Rifle Association has urged the federal government to address the problem of mental illness and violence. As we noted then, “the time is at hand to seek means by which society ...

“Violence Interrupters” Demonstrate Wishful Thinking is Not Crime Control

News  

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

“Violence Interrupters” Demonstrate Wishful Thinking is Not Crime Control

Not too long ago, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker dismissed President Donald Trump’s assessment of over-the-top violent crime in Chicago as being rooted in “lies,” saying that “civilian law enforcement is how you fight crime,” and “[w]e’ve got ...

Minnesota: Hearing on Semi-Auto and Magazine Bans Next Week

Friday, February 20, 2026

Minnesota: Hearing on Semi-Auto and Magazine Bans Next Week

On Tuesday, February 24th, the House Public Safety Finance and Policy committee will hold a hearing on two all-encompassing ban bills, House File 3433 and House File 3402

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.