One of a growing number of rural and big-city law enforcement officials who openly encourages responsible gun ownership, Judd believes guns allow citizens to defend themselves when police cannot.

"If you are foolish enough to break into someone's home, you can expect to be shot in Polk County," Judd said in a statement after a homeowner shot a would-be home invader earlier this month. "It's more important to have a gun in your hand than a cop on the phone."

Such full-throated embrace of the Second Amendment as a crime-fighting tool isn't confined to red states like Florida.

One California police chief is backing teachers in his district packing heat. Detroit Police Chief James Craig has been a leader in urging his community to arm itself. A Maryland sheriff is working with the state's general assembly to try to make it easier for citizens to obtain handgun permits.