Results from the National Association of Chiefs of Police (NACOP) 28th annual national survey of command staff law enforcement professionals have just been published in the summer quarter edition of The Chief of Police magazine, and the numbers may make the gun prohibition lobby cringe.
NACOP is a Florida-based organization.
According to the survey results, a whopping 87.9 percent of respondents believe that “any vetted citizen” should be able to purchase a firearm for sport or self-defense, and 86.4 percent support “nationwide recognition of state issued concealed weapon permits.” In Washington and several other states, instead of a “permit,” armed citizens obtain licenses to carry. In a handful of states, including Idaho, Arizona, Alaska and Vermont, an armed citizen doesn’t need a license.
Another startling revelation is that 76 percent of the respondents believe law-abiding armed citizens can help law enforcement reduce criminal activity.
According to NACOP CFO Brent Shepherd, the survey was sent to 17,600 departments across the country. They got back more than 1,000 responses, which is typical for this sort of effort and a number that usually shows up in scientific national polls as a baseline for determining the national consensus on any given subject.
Shepherd was quick to point out that the NACOP survey is not scientific.
The group’s magazine circulates nationally to command level law enforcement and private security professionals, he said. Shepherd said the summer quarter issue arrived in the mail earlier this week.
Timing of this dissemination is remarkable, considering all the political chatter over gun control that has erupted in recent weeks. Congressional anti-gunners have been pressing for adoption of more gun control before they recess tomorrow, and that’s not going to happen.
Last week’s attack on Dallas police officers only fanned the flames, with liberals tending to ignore the apparent racial motives of the gunman, and instead focusing on guns.
President Barack Obama even interjected a remark about gun control during his speech at the memorial service for the Dallas officers on Tuesday. His assertion that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than it is to buy a book has been widely criticized.
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