Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,talk.politics.guns
From: [j g d] at [dixie.com] (John De Armond)
Subject: What Police REALLY think (was Re: Straight Talk on Crime)
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 93 06:37:01 GMT

[a--y--r] at [nmsu.edu] (Nosy) writes:
>So blathers Eric Mankin:
><   In earlier posts on this subject, Mr. Clayton Cramer repeatedly stated
><   that police opposed this measure. My recollection was that most police
><   had supported it. In fact, according the sources I consulted, virtually
><   *all* major police groups supported the bill, including both police unions
><   and the usually conservative International Association of Chiefs of 
><   Police. 
>	
>	Excuse me? The IACP includes members from such sterling
>	nations	as Angola, Mozambique and El Salvador. It is 
>	not an organization known for "conservatism", unless
>	one defines "conservative" as "endorsing unlimited police
>	power".

More importantly for this country, any time someone cites the Association of
Police Chiefs or the FOP positions as representing police positions on 
anything, ask them to consider this:  When was the last time your management
or union (respectively) accurately represented any of your opinions.
If they do on occasion, is it anything other than coincidence?

For something a little bit more representative of true police opinion
on gun controls consider the following article that appeared way up in the 
nosebleed section of the local paper today (sunday):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

07/12/93  Marietta Daily Journal
Marietta, GA

POLICE SURVEY SHOWS MOST OPPOSE STRICT GUN CONTROL

MORROW (AP)--A new survey of police officers shows most believe strict
gun-control measures will not decrease violent crime.

The poll of 3,825 members of the Southern States Police Benevolent
Association found 95.8 percent rejected an outright ban on all firearms
and 96.4 percent strongly support firearms ownership for
self-protection.

About 86 percent said waiting periods to purchase guns would affect only
law-abiding citizens, and 63.8 percent preferred an instant background
check.

The officers ranked drugs, the decline of family values and the
combination of light prison sentences and early release programs as the
top three reasons for the nation's upsurge in violent crime.

The poll, conducted by Spectrum Resources Inc. of Tallahassee, Fla.
has a less than 1 percent margin of error.

"We simply had enough of every special interest group ... claiming they
spoke for rank-and-file officers on the subject of gun control," 
Association president Jack Roberts said Friday.

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |    (Pardon the inconvenience while we 
Performance Engineering Magazine(TM) |    remodel this .signature)
Marietta, Ga                         |
[j g d] at [dixie.com]                        |