Memphis Police and other law enforcement agencies investigate the scene of a shooting resulting in the deaths of two people near Booker T. Washington High School on Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn.
California – Despite California’s reputation as one of the most progressive states in the country—often leading calls for stricter gun control and increased scrutiny of law enforcement—a new poll reveals broad support for placing armed police officers in schools.
The survey, conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), found that 71% of residents support the idea of hiring armed police officers to patrol schools. Among public school parents, support was even higher at 76%. The poll results come amid persistent concerns over school shootings, which continue to dominate national headlines. According to EducationWeek, there were 39 school shootings that resulted in injuries in the U.S. during 2024 alone.
Californians’ concern about school safety appears to be a key driver behind this support. The poll found that 72% of all adults—and 81% of public school parents—said they were either “very” or “somewhat” concerned about school shootings. Even among those who reported being less concerned, 61% still supported the presence of armed officers on campus.
“There is a link between concern about a school shooting and support for armed police officers in schools,” the poll report noted. “Among those who are concerned, 75% support this policy.”
The survey included responses from 1,591 adults between March 27 and April 4, 2025, including 279 public school parents. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points for the general population and ±6.8 for parents.
California does not currently mandate armed officers in schools, though the issue has been raised in the legislature. Republican Assembly Leader James Gallagher has proposed legislation to require one armed officer at every school in the state. “I talk to people all the time who say we need, you know, better security at our schools,” Gallagher told The Sacramento Bee. “I wish it weren’t the case.”
But the issue remains divisive. Critics, including student advocacy groups, argue that armed officers don’t make schools safer and may contribute to over-policing and disciplinary disparities, especially for students of color. In a 2023 statement, Students Demand Action wrote: “The practice of policing in schools… has not been shown to reduce school shooting deaths.”
What happens next is uncertain. While public support is clear, the Democratic-controlled state legislature has yet to signal whether it will take up Gallagher’s proposal or pursue alternative school safety reforms. For now, the poll underscores a growing desire among Californians—across political and demographic lines—for action to address school safety in an age of recurring gun violence.
