Why So Many Police Chiefs Favor Gun Control, When Most Sheriffs Don’t

Police vs Sheriff
Police vs Sheriff
AmmoLand Gun News
AmmoLand Gun News

Grand Junction, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- This contains some concepts that many folks haven’t considered.

We are not siding with or against the police or advancing excuses for them and we hope it does not appear we are picking on them either; we aren’t.

For this work, we interviewed 17 chiefs and sheriffs from around the country. From those conversations (emails and phone) we have some quotes in this work. We were asked not to source the particular quotes and that is fair since this was not an on the record news interview, we just wanted their thoughts and opinions. So, as Joe Friday said, “just the facts ma’am.”

When it comes to various politicians and others speaking against gun ownership (the 2nd Amendment and Constitution by definition) politicians will many times cite city and state police chiefs who allegedly may support the anti-gun movement. These politicians may have police chiefs and their officers appear with them as props or spokesmen in news conferences.

So the logical question to ask is why are these top cops so seemingly against firearm ownership?

Chiefs are at the beck and call of their political bosses, mayors and city councils. “We chiefs get our opinion on firearm ownership when it is issued to us.”–A recent quote by a chief.

A sheriff told us “There is an active debate between sheriffs and chiefs that is affected by the big city chief culture because chiefs tend to emulate each other.”

For our purpose here let’s just deal with city police, not state/national officials. If city politicians are against gun ownership (Chicago, Washington D.C, San Francisco, and New York for example) and the chief doesn’t agree he can (and probably will) be fired or demoted by the mayor or possibly by a simple majority of the City Council. In most towns over 50,000 population chiefs generally get paid between $70,000 and $140,000 a year plus benefits and retirement. Large city chiefs get well over $200,000 plus benefits, retirement and every once in a while you run into a chief earning well over $300,000.00 plus benefits. They want to hang onto that “chief” position, title and income.

This is why you see chiefs and their officers in the background when privileged officials posture against citizen firearm ownership and the Constitution by definition. Sure some chiefs may believe in citizen gun control and may be willing as a backdrop for self-serving politicians–especially if they were appointed by those in power at the time. So whenever a mayor, senator, representative or president wants a show of “top cops” showing support, a message is delivered to the particular city where the top officials are anti-2nd Amendment requesting top cops as props. The chiefs and officers are obediently delivered for props or advised to get their resume updated.

Sheriffs are by and large a different breed. They are elected by the people with a larger proportional number of citizens than city officials. The sheriff does not have to please a few city council members, a goofy mayor (or a governor). Sheriffs represent the beliefs and values of the majority of the area of his or her citizens who directly voted them into office. Yes, there will be sheriffs who do not want guns in the hands of citizens, but nothing like the number of police chiefs who have a near immediate career ending gun held to their heads by anti-Constitution politicians or the chief culture.

And most sheriffs take their Oath supporting the Constitution very seriously. And while they currently follow and enforce Constitutional applicable federal, state and county laws they reserve the power invested in their oath and position as elected officers of their county to resist or not to enforce Constitutional infringing law if or when that might come. If that were to occur, the state police and/or federal government may be ordered to step into that particular sheriff’s county to enforce those particular unconstitutional laws. The ramifications of those legal incursions might be very interesting to watch, especially, we were told, if that particular sheriff is actively supported by the citizens of that county.

The bottom line is: city, state and even federal chiefs will almost always bend to the will of their political masters–He who has the gold makes the rules.” Then this might be something to bring up in various press conferences with officers in the background.

Shults Media Relations, LLC

A PR firm that seriously supports the outdoor and firearms industry and our Constitution.

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James

Those chiefs were hand selected from traditionally anti gun areas. As a Chief of Police myself I can say that my department will NEVER violate anyone’s constitutional rights including the 2 nd amendment. If I’m fired I’m fired,but my integrity and oath to the people and the constitution will never be compromised

A.S. Bowman

Comparision of police chiefs and sheriffs is an apple and orange arguement. Yes,we have some professional sheriffs. Most this resulted from federal dollars includding enforces state minimum training standards. We have over 18,000 State and Local Law enforcement Agencies in the US The great majoraty have 1O less sworn officers. Takes 7 officers to staff one 24/7 position. States now reliy on rural policing through state police and highway patrol. Some counties have moved from SO to County police. The problem of moving the SO into the 21 century is somewhat complex. There positions are protected by state constitution, This… Read more »

StickersForAmerica.com

I can definitely say that I really enjoy seeing the comments from retired police officers and MP, and how you all still remember the oath you swore to. Major respects.

Bill Gabbey

Did you know that Jack Webb’s TV character, Sgt. Joe Friday, never actually said, “just the facts, ma’am?”

Apparently the actual phrase uttered a few times in the show was “All we want are the facts, ma’am.” Similar, but not identical.

Lochlyn Grendelsson

Ron on February 9, 2013 at 6:37 PM said:
The term is “beckon call.”

Ron – the “phrase” is, “Beck and Call”

hopalong

THROW THE BUMS OUT, BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. AND WE KNOW WHO, DON’T WE ?

Puck T. Smith

Where are all these “patriot” sheriffs when it comes to enforcing unconstitutional federal drug laws? And what are they going to do when the Feds cut off the money they use to buy all those APCs and swat gear.

Tom

Active Law enforcement from 1962 to 2004, the majority of POs City, county and federal I’ve worked with heartily believe in the Constitution and the cornerstone is the 2nd amendment. Only a fool would call any black semi auto an assault weapon. All weapons may be used for an assault and that is the problem the user! In order to have a well regulated militia make safety courses mandatory for all new gun sales, no passed test no gun. No need to register anything other than test results. Make a violation of the 2nd amendment a federal felony offense with… Read more »

jo bob

wow there are some nutters comming out of the wood work here in the comments. how about you sit back from youre glen beck and conspericy forums take a breth and think for a moment. goverment agencys, military, public officials all live in these citys with there famlys frends and what not. do you reoly think they will go thrue a town mowing evreyone down or drop a bomb on it? all these milions of rounds… pull youre heads out of youre ass the goverment buys millions of rounds each year the only thing new this year is it was… Read more »

John

Due to injuries I have recently had to hand in my shield, but between the military Police and Law enforcement I served 16 years wearing a badge. The oaths I took have never ended it is unfortunate that our Government leaders take their oaths of office as something to use at parties to make them feel important. As far as Obama and his private homeland security army he’s training 18-24 yr olds with no prior ethics to do his biding. I feel sorry for these young people they know not what they will meet in the field. Hasn’t Obama and… Read more »

Paul

I am a retired Police Chief and oppose this asault on law abiding citizens and their right to bear arms. The sheriffs are in power by the vote of the people. The police have to suck around these politicians to keep their jobs. Hence , the police lose their balls to better themselves.If this fight is lost, America is finished. There will be a lot of complacent folks coming awake at that time. Problem is, it will be too late. Somewhere I read , “there is not enough cops to take our guns.” Why do you think Obama has homeland… Read more »

Rey Garcia

This is exactly right ! That is why most of us rank and file Police Officers Support the right to keep and bear arms . And we are the ones on the front lines ,not sitting behind some desk somewhere ! Lackeys !!

Mike

This is exactly why ALL of the gun legislation bills being presented exempt current and past law enforcement. It is a political ploy to get law enforcement unions and organizations to back the gun bans. And of course if they can keep their right to own so called assault weapons they don’t mind if we lose ours.

akira6968

lol @ the guy correcting “beck and call” incorrectly, despite being on the internet.

Gene Galitz

Check with Chiefs in rural states and you’ll find mostly the Metro chiefs support gun control. They’re conveniently the ones media interviews.

Joe

I guess that is why there are many Sheriffs & Sheriff department PBA’s that have spoken out against the new UNCONSTITUTIONAL DRACONIAN laws that the DICTATOR of NY has passed yet there has been NOTHING from the State Police! I know the NYPD is ALL for it (although THEY should REALLY be restricted to the number of bullets in their guns) but it’s SAD that the police department PBA’s don’t even speak out against it!! FORGET the Cheifs but the PBA’s whose members are GOING to be the ONES having to do the “dirty” work of their political masters should… Read more »

Wayne

I am a retired/disabled line of duty 26 year police officer I served in the Marine Corps 4 years prior to entering law enforcement,I took 2 oaths to support and defend the Constitution and have not forgotten my duty,i am a firm believer in the 2nd amendment and every officer I know does as well,you always have that 10% ,but the guys I know will not round up firearms,they will tell the politicians you want them you go get them,the cops up north may be different,but in the south we will not turn them in

Jere Joiner

Most cops know this, but it’s worth noting that the office of sheriff predates that of police chief. In England, it was the “shire reeve” who kept the peace. Police chiefs evolved as cities there and here grew larger and cops (or coppers, as they were called because of their uniform buttons) needed supervision.

Henry Bowman

This whole gun control argument is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. These advocates say they want to ban and confiscate weapons to save the lives of citizens and children yet this logic is tragically flawed. If you were really trying to save the lives of citizens and children then you would not be instigating a multifront war against the citizens and their rights where people on both sides are surely going to die. So let me review: they are going to come and kill us to make us safer. Somehow this brilliance of genius is failing to… Read more »

Old Grunt

The Sheriff in my County (here in Texas) has the backing of most of the people including everyone at our VFW posts. He knows he has hundreds of veterans and thousands of civilians ready to fall in, locked and loaded.

Warp

@80155

Nope, "Beck and call" is correct.

https://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/beck-and-cal

Ricky Ross

Don't be fooled. Sheriff's are politicians. Most people are sheeple. Sheriff's will cater to the voters in their county's if they want to get re-elected. The media is conditioning the sheeple to fear guns, so sheeple will want a sheriff who stands for anti-gun citizens. Also, as soon as a Sheriff wants federal $$$ for his department, it will come at a cost…he will have to play NWO ball or he will not get the free grant money. I know it makes everyone feel better to believe the answer to all of this is a stand up/Constitutional Sheriff, but the… Read more »

Ron

The term is "beckon call."

Charles Rall

Chiefs are hired by mayors they want their cushy jobs.sheriffs are elected by their constituents.most counties are pro gun second amendment.

Mac

I retired from a Sheriff's office in the Bay Area after 25yrs, Injury got me, the above observations are correct and even more so within the ranks of the Deputies, note there are some anti gunners in the ranks but not enough to make any kind of difference.

I took an oath all those many years ago and it is still how I live my life today, the oath DOES NOT end at retirement, it would be good for our "political leaders" to remember, that I am not alone.

anthony j portaA

GO OATH KEEPERS!

KottaMan

As a retired law enforcement official who has worked "both sides," I'll be the first one to "second" the fact that Chiefs are always beholden to their 'controllers.' I have been in other countries, including behind the former Iron Curtain ones, and know beyond any doubt that once law enforcement is "corrupted" by politics, you are done. Finished. What the Socialists in D.C. and certain state capitals are doing is making pissing posts of Chiefs and using them for disarmament. Thank God for Sheriff's especially the ones who are Oath Keepers. They truly are America's last hope against tyranny.

Oathkeeper Vet

Photo Op Cop yup how true. They all ought to have to run for election! But the question that Police unions and organizations really need to ask is , how many of us and how many citizens will die in this agenda "to reduce gun violence"? Also pointing out the sheer hypocrisy of such would be a idea. So how many firefights a day will it take

DannyG

Funny how with a stroke of his pen, the POTUS can turn regular, everyday joes into felons, simply because they are in possession of a weapon that, before the stroke of that pen, were legal and constitutional to buy, own and sell. I learned from old Dirty Harry about A$$ kissing chief of police and it always disgusted me how they would suspend Harry simply because he didn't bend to their whims. On the flip side, I learned about the Sheriff's ability to defy the Mayor or Governor because they were elected by the people,from old Sheriff Arpaio in AZ.… Read more »

Becker

The question is not will they give up their guns. We know they can have anything they want whether on or off duty. The thing that is going to cost them is if they try to give up ours. We are serious as a heart attack about this and would much rather have them on our side than against us. It is their choice. All police officers should agree that there are enough criminals out there for everyone. We don't need to start inventing more who have done nothing to break the law, but the administration has by walking guns… Read more »

Nam Marine

It doesn't make any difference at all! There are not enough of them to enforce SQUAT !

Chas P

As a retired Police Officer, I can tell you that if you don't bend to the will of the mayor and council, you will not become the Chief of Police. It's not a job based on abilities, it's a political position for those that meet the needs of the mayor and council. The real cops believe in the constitution and also will not be willing to give up their guns. Just start asking them when the brass isn't around.

Paul Patriot

Great. But, the silence amongst “good” cops and their cowardice to grow a spine and speak out against the bullies with badges who are destroying all trust and respect between cops and citizens, is deafening. All the abuse by bullies with badges is doing is making the “good” cops job much more dangerous, and putting targets on the badge WHEN things go bad in this country, when law abiding citizens eventually get to the breaking point. I would not want to be a cop today, as I said, if economy crashes, and things get very bad, cops should expect citizens… Read more »

Tory II, Illinois

The largest most antigun group of Americans is cops. Never trust them with your guns, never.

When govt goes rogue, it won't be politicians or mama who will come for you and your gun.