A majority of Californians support schools hiring armed police officers, according to a new poll.
Why It Matters
California is one of the most progressive states in the nation and its residents generally support more gun control measures and highlight concerns about the police, according to surveys. Despite those stances, this poll suggests having armed officers in schools is popular, even in the deep blue state.
The survey comes as shootings at schools have become regular headlines. There were 39 school shootings resulting in injuries across the United States in 2024, according to data from EducationWeek. These shootings have fueled calls for more stringent gun laws among many Americans, but others say policy efforts around mental health are needed.
Proponents of armed officers in schools say they believe they would help prevent shootings, but critics say they would do little to keep students safer.
Associated Press
What To Know
A new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found that residents of the Golden State are broadly concerned about school shootings and view armed officers in schools as a potential measure to prevent them.
The survey found that 72 percent of Californians and 81 percent of public school parents are either “very” or “somewhat” concerned about school shootings. Only 9 percent of those living in the state said they aren’t concerned about school shootings at all.
Meanwhile, 71 percent of residents and 76 percent of public school parents said they support having armed police officers in schools. Seventeen percent of all Californians somewhat oppose the idea, while 11 percent said they strongly oppose it, the poll found.
“There is a link between concern about a school shooting and support for armed police officers in schools. Among those who are concerned, 75% support this policy. Still, even among those who do not express concern about a school shooting, a majority (61%) support armed police officers in schools,” the poll report reads.
It surveyed 1,591 adults, 279 of whom were public school parents, from March 27 to April 4, 2025. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points for all adults and plus or minus 6.8 percentage points for public school parents.
California schools are not currently required to have armed officers in schools, but there have been legislative efforts to change that. It
What People Are Saying
California State Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher, who introduced a bill that would put an armed officer in every school, told The Sacramento Bee: “I talk to people all the time who say we need, you know, better security at our schools, right? I wish it weren’t the case.”
Students Demand Action, a gun control advocacy group, wrote in 2023: “Increasing gun violence in schools has given districts, teachers, and communities an earnest desire to protect against school shootings. But the practice of policing in schools, including the traditional SRO model, has not been shown to reduce school shooting deaths.”
What Happens Now
While a majority of Californians back armed officers in schools, it’s unclear whether the Democratic-controlled state legislature will pass a bill to establish that requirement.