Isn't law enforcement overwhelmingly pro 2A?

[Frasier Balzov]

I always found it odd that cops generally favor the availability of guns and ammunition in the hands of the public.

This seems illogical to me. Unless the underlying message is "we can't protect you."

When the general public is armed, it puts everybody including cops at greater risk of harm and it forces cops to err on the side of using lethal force themselves.

Thus I must conclude that gun love is absurd and irrational and undeserving of respect as public policy.

[JI7]

1. Not really , I think they tend to be for gun control but they are right wing on everything else .

When they use to endorse democrats the gun control issue was often one of the reasons why .

[SoCalDavidS]

2. I Think It's Clear As Day

Cops LOVE their guns, and don't want ANY restrictions which prevent them from acquiring as many different kinds of guns as they like. Even if it means others can get their hands on the same types of guns.

It stands to reason, that when your job involves you using a gun every day, you obviously enjoy doing so, and will want to use them even when off duty.

[Frasier Balzov]

3. But when they find themselves on the receiving end of hostile fire

don't they have a Come To Jesus conversion?

[SoCalDavidS]

12. Did Steve Scalise?

To answer your question, No. They LOVE their guns too much. Pry it from their cold dead hands.

[ManiacJoe]

4. The lower ranking cops tend to be pro 2a.

The political appointed chiefs usually politically mimic the majors appointing them.

The patrol officers don't mind an armed public because they know the vast majority of the public is law abiding, including their own families.

Yes, part of the message is "cops cannot protect individuals."

[genxlib]

5. Safety aside

I would think the limitations on registration and tracking would be maddening to me.

There was a GQ article posted here yesterday about how purposely bad the tracking system is because the gun lobby wants it that way. I find that outrageous and if I were in law enforcement I would take it as a professional affront. One can only imagine how many crimes have gone unsolved or how many additional people have been hurt and killed due to hamstrung investigations.

The most maddening part of that is that enhanced record keeping and tracing capabilities would not hamper the 2nd Amenment at alll. It only exists because of the paranoia that the gun humpers have

[brooklynite]

6. No in fact they're not

[madville]

8. Cops are very Pro-2nd Amendment for themselves

Law Enforcement is very Pro-2nd Amendment for themselves. That’s why law enforcement organizations generally will endorse gun control measures as long as there are exemptions for LE officers, on and off duty.

For the rest of the public though, not so much. I would say they skew more anti-2nd for everyone else but that’s also regional, rural cops are going to be more pro and urban ones likely more anti.

[brooklynite]

9. ThAt was exactly the interpretation I was expecting to see...

“Cops like to shoot guns”, therefore “cops like the 2nd Amendement”

Most police never fire a gun, and they don’t like situations where people can shoot them. The official policy of almost every Police Dept is better regulation of firearms.

[madville]

10. Most are fine with more restrictions as long as

They don’t apply to them personally, like they were exempt from the 1994 AWB, even for personally owned firearms. Just like they mostly support concealed carry restrictions/licensing while at the same time they have a federal law that makes them exempt from concealed carry laws in all 50 states, both on and off duty and even for retired officers.

[Cosmocat]

7. YEP

It makes absolutely no sense, but the appeal of "conservatism" to have people slavishly back whatever stupid as shit that it promotes despite how it runs completely counter to their own personal interests is endless.

Just as we are seeing increasing numbers of hispanics join team R, just as there are those who are gay who are on team R, etc., etc., etc., the overwhelming majority of LEO don't bat an eyelash at the increased possibility of ending up in a confrontation with some lunatic with body armor, an AR and more ammo than they could possibly use cause LIBERALS!!!!

[sarisataka]

11. Depends...

Generally, rank and file are pro-2A for the reason you said- they know they won't be there at the time of the crime. Typically they do favor background checks and red flag laws.

Upper level LEOs tend to be political creatures. It the mayor, electorate or whomever they owe their job to is pro-2A they will follow suit. If pro gun control, they will also call for control.

In all cases they will favor LEO exemption to gun control laws.

[Midnight Writer]

13. Cops I personally know (small, rural town) are very pro-gun. Don't know that applies everywhere.

I worked with a lot of local cops in my job and got to know some of them pretty well. They all thought I was foolish for not owning a gun.

Pretty much every household around here has guns.