Survey of law officers finds majority doesn't agree with Obama's gun control plan

Published April 09, 2013

FoxNews.com

An overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers says a federal ban on assault weapons would not reduce the risk of violent crime, according to a recently released national survey of active duty and retired officers.

The survey conducted by PoliceOne.com found that 85 percent of officers think the passage of the Obama administration’s gun control legislation either would have no effect or would have a negative effect on their safety.

More than 80 percent of respondents said they supported arming school teachers and administrators with guns. And more than 28 percent of officers say they think having “more permissive” concealed carry policies for civilians would help most in preventing large-scale shootings in public.

The survey, which polled 15,000 law enforcement professionals at all ranks, was conducted online March 4-13. Survey questions were composed and compiled by PoliceOne staff and the Pretorian Group, PoliceOne’s parent company.

“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 Chris Cox, head of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action following the results of the PoliceOne survey.

The results of the survey, released Monday, come as President Obama tries to keep the political momentum for gun control measures going. Last week, he traveled to Colorado and Connecticut – two states that have seen some of the country’s worst mass shootings and responded by passing tough state gun laws. During his multistate swing, Obama repeatedly called on Congress to step up its efforts for universal background checks for gun buyers and limits on large-capacity ammunition magazines.

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to include background checks in gun bill

Published March 21, 2013

Associated Press

Gun control advocates are pressing Democrats to broaden background checks for firearms purchases in the gun bill the Senate debates next month, saying it is the strongest step lawmakers can take to produce meaningful legislation.

With a proposed assault weapons ban looking all but dead, groups favoring restrictions say expanded background checks are needed following December's school massacre in Newtown, Conn.

Senate aides and lobbyists expect Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to include wider background checks in the bill, but say he hasn't made a final decision.

The Democratic bill is also expected to stiffen penalties for illegal gun trafficking and expand school safety aid.

Details of the background check language remain unresolved as senators seek bipartisan compromise on expanding the system, which now covers sales by licensed gun dealers.

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Fox News Poll: Majority supports use of drones

American voters approve of the United States using unmanned drones to kill suspected terrorists abroad -- even if the targets are U.S. citizens -- but don’t think the president should be able to order the strikes on his own.

That’s according to the latest Fox News poll.  

Overall, 74 percent of voters approve of using drones to kill a suspected terrorist overseas.  That includes majorities of Republicans (80 percent), independents (71 percent) and Democrats (69 percent), as well as both men (78 percent) and women (71 percent).  

The level of approval drops from 74 percent to 60 percent, however, if the suspected terrorist is a U.S. citizen.  

Even when it comes to drone use on U.S. soil, a 56-percent majority of voters approves of such strikes on a suspected foreign terrorist.  

Voters, however, disapprove of drone attacks when they are aimed at a U.S. citizen suspected of being a terrorist on U.S. soil.  In those circumstances, by a 50-45 percent margin, voters say no.  

CLICK TO VIEW THE POLL

In each follow-up scenario, Republicans and men are slightly more approving than Democrats and women -- just like in the overall scenario.  

Issues about the use of drone attacks emerged from recent Senate confirmation hearings for John Brennan, who has been nominated to head the CIA.  Brennan is known as the chief architect of the CIA’s drone program.  Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is threatening to delay Brennan’s confirmation until he gets more information about the government’s use of drones, including whether the president “has the power to authorize lethal force, such as a drone strike, against a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil.”  Paul says this brings up serious constitutional issues because if “you’re accused of a crime in America you get your day in court.”

The poll finds that 32 percent of voters think that yes, the president should be able to authorize the use of deadly force domestically against an American terrorist.  Still, about twice that many -- 63 percent -- disagree and want checks on the president.

Again, agreement is bipartisan, as most Republicans (70 percent) and independents (70 percent) and a majority of Democrats (54 percent) oppose the president having the sole power under these conditions.

The Fox News poll is based on landline and cell phone interviews with 1,010 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from February 25 to February 27.  The full poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

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