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Many Of Colorado's Police Chiefs Favor Gun Control Bills

DENVER (CBS4) - For the first time Colorado's police chiefs are talking about gun control, and many of those chiefs are coming out in favor of the bills being debated at the state Capitol.

"We oppose anything that's unconstitutional. We believe in the Second Amendment rights of the citizens," said Christopher Olson with the County Sheriffs of Colorado.

Unlike the sheriffs, the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police support several gun control measures.

"We have to have these discussions," said Tom Deland, head of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police.

Deland said they were asked by legislators to look at two bills being proposed. One was regarding universal background checks, something they support.

"We believe that background checks do the most that we can possible do at that stage to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them," Deland said.

That would mean anyone involved in a private sale of a gun would be subject to a background check. An example would be a friend selling another friend a gun.

"Do we believe that this is going to solve the entire issue? We know that it's not, but it is one important step," Deland said.

Another measure they support is limiting the number of bullets in gun magazines. A current bill wouldn't allow more than 15 per magazine.

"We believe that if there is a limit on the number of these high-capacity magazines in the state of Colorado, that eventually it will reduce the ability for people who want to do violence with these magazines, to do that very thing," Deland said.

He says steps like those will help keep citizens and his police officers safer.

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