Police chiefs from across the country stood together on Monday at the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Chicago to call for national background checks for anyone who purchases a gun.
The law enforcement officials are part of the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence, which has called for increased background checks to help prevent gun violence, according to WLS-TV.
"We are not going to relent," Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said. "This is too important. Americans are dying and we need to do something about it."
McCarthy stressed that police chiefs can't control special interests, they can only give the public the facts about how many people die from illegal guns every year.
FBI statistics show that 50 of the nation's largest cities -- including Chicago -- have seen an increase in homicides and shootings in 2015.
The conference ends Tuesday with a speech from President Obama, who is expected to talk about gun control.
