Newsgroups: alt.law-enforcement,talk.politics.guns
From: [j g d] at [dixie.com] (John De Armond)
Subject: Re: New US gun control bill
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 93 09:56:50 GMT

[c d t] at [sw.stratus.com] (C. D. Tavares) writes:

>> So what's the law enforcement position?

>The American Federation of Police:

>"There are many Americans who fear for their lives.  They
>know that often they will have to protect themselves, their own
>families and their own property.  Should these people be disarmed?
>There are enough laws.  No, we don't need to disarm our loyal
>citizens, our friends and our neighbors.  We just need judges
>with the guts to make the use of a gun in a crime a risk that few
>will undertake in the future."

[etc]

And a very recent poll of Georgia police officers conducted a couple of
weeks ago:
----------------

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]                        |