Samhain you need to read the FBI statistics, as a retired police officer I can tell you as documented by the FBI every year more people are stopped in the commission of a crime by private citizens than police. Why is that you may ask, because citizens are on the scene when crimes are being committed against them 100% of the time when the police are on scene less than 1% of the time.
The police arrived at this horrible scene as soon as humanly possible and doubtlessly saved many lives but if one person on scene at the beginning how many could have been saved.
One other thing you should consider. There is no place in any city, county or state charter or constitution and there is nothing in the American constitution that guarantees private citizens protection. No law enforcement officer is required to defend you they do so because of the oath they took and their personal honor and courage. And before I get off my soap box I want people who don't believe in carrying a gun to ask themselves If you are not willing to defend your self what makes you so much better than that police officer you are depending on that you expect him / her to risk their life to defend you.
I do not mean to offend anyone but to many people are willing to place an Officer in harms way when they are not willing to acccept resposibility for their protection and then criticize those that are.