Texas sheriffs’ perceptions on firearm regulations and mass shootings
| Date | 01 September 2021 |
| Published date | 01 September 2021 |
| DOI | 10.1177/14613557211004621 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Texas sheriffs’ perceptions on firearm
regulations and mass shootings
Michele Bisaccia Meitl
Texas Christian University, USA
Ashley Wellman
Texas Christian University, USA
Patrick Kinkaid
Texas Christian University, USA
Abstract
Criminal justice research often focuses exclusively on municipal police departments. Sheriffs’ departments are largely
ignored in this research despite this population’s reach and role. There are nearly 3,000 sheriffs’ offices around the United
States and they often serve as the only law enforcement body in rural areas. This study sought to address the scarcity
of this research and focused on Texas sheriffs’ views regarding firearm regulations and the causes of mass shootings. An
18-question instrument created in consult with the Texas Narcotic Officers Association was sent to each sheriff in the 254
counties of Texas to assess their perceptions regarding solutions to mass shootings, disqualification criteria for gun
ownership, and civi lian access to certai n types of firearms an d ammunition. Respo nding sheriffs, as a wh ole, were
reluctant to limit access to guns and ammunition as a general matter, but strongly agreed that certain discrete
populations should have limited or no access to firearms. Policy implications are discussed.
Keywords
Firearm regulation, mass shootings, sheriffs, policy, law enforcement
Submitted 02 Nov 2020, Revise received 02 Nov 2020, accepted 01 Feb 2021
In 2009, Texas experienced the deadliest mass shooting on
an American military base in United States history when an
army psychologist at Fort Hood murdered 14 people and
injured 30 others. Over the 10 years that followed, Texas
would endure an additional six mass shootings. These were
a second Fort Hood shooting in 2014, an ambush on police
officers in downtown Dallas in 2016, a shooting at the
Texas First Baptist Church in 2017, an attack at Santa Fe
High School in 2018, a shooting at an El Paso Walmart in
2019, and a shooting in Midland-Odessa that sa me year
(Cai and Fernandez, 2019). Casualties for these mass shoot-
ings ranged from 4 to 26 individuals with an additional 100
plus individuals injured.
Public opinion regarding gun control in Texas varies
widely. Thirty-five percent of Texans report having guns,
which Brangum and Grumke (2019) suggest is just slightly
higher than the national average. Studies indicate that 40–
50%of individuals living in Texas want stricter regulations
(Murphey, 2017). Yet, between 2009 and 2019, only one
law was passed by the Texas Legislature that specifically
limited firearm use (Cai and Fernandez, 2019). By contrast,
nine laws were passed in 2019 alone that were supported by
the gun lobby (Cai and Fernandez, 2019). As examples, one
law removed the cap on the number of school marshals who
could carry firearms at schools. Another clarified the issue
Corresponding author:
Michele Bisaccia Meitl, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth,
TX 76129, USA.
Email: m.meitl@tcu.edu
International Journalof
Police Science & Management
ªThe Author(s) 2021
Article reuse guidelines:
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DOI: 10.1177/14613557211004621
journals.sagepub.com/home/psm
2021, Vol. 23(3) 222–230
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