WASHINGTON, April 17 (UPI) -- Pushing back against gun control bills now before the U.S. Senate, a new ad by the National Rifle Association says most police don't support the measures.
The 30-second spot, on which the NRA says it will spend $500,000, encourages the public to "tell your senator to listen to America's police instead of listening to [President] Obama and [New York Mayor Michael] Bloomberg."
The ad cites a poll by PoliceOne, an online news site for police officers, which found "71 percent of the police say Obama's gun ban will have zero effect on violent crime."
"Ninety-one percent say the right answer is swift prosecution and mandatory sentencing," the ad continues in referencing the survey.
The Senate is considering legislation to ban assault-style weapons and increase background checks for gun purchases.
The PoliceOne site says more than 15,000 completed the survey. The site claims 400,000 registered members comprised of "verified law enforcement professionals."
Last week, a pro-gun control group backed by Bloomberg began airing an ad promoting a measure expanding background checks on gun sales. That ad also cited a poll indicating 9-of-10 Americans support stronger checks.
