The Biden Administration quietly met with several big city police chiefs on ways that law enforcement can help better massage a gun control message to the public. 

In a readout published by the White House on Tuesday, the unnamed "senior White House officials" met with "more than 20 law enforcement leaders from across the country to discuss how to build additional law enforcement support for an assault weapons and high-capacity magazine ban and other commonsense legislation to reduce gun violence."

Going further, the release said that the unnamed officials discussed with the assembled chiefs "the importance of mobilizing additional law enforcement voices – both leadership and rank and file officers – to make clear to members of Congress that supporting our police and improving the safety of American communities means banning assault weapons and taking other practical steps to reduce gun violence and save lives." 

Among the named police leaders were California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee, Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief David Kowalski, Nashville Police Department Deputy Chief Chris Gilder, San Francisco Police Department Chief William Scott, Baltimore Police Department Acting Commissioner Richard Worley, and San Diego Police Department Chief David Nisleit. Also listed as attending was Nancy Demme of the Washington D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum, the California Police Chiefs Association, and Norwood, Massachusetts, Police Chief Bill Brooks, who sits as the head of the Firearms Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. 

As to the outcome of the meeting? The White House simply noted that "Participants agreed on the urgency of building a broad coalition and an agenda for action informed by input from law enforcement. Participants also agreed on the need to work together to support passage of additional gun safety legislation."

The Biden-Harris administration has mentioned bans on popular semi-automatic firearms at least 200 times since taking office in 2020. As recently as May, Biden pledged to "immediately" sign a "bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines" should one reach his desk. 

Gun industry trade groups estimate that at least 24 million AR-15 and AK-47-style rifles are in circulation in the U.S., making them among the most popular firearms of all time.