Posted Monday, July 16, 2012 --- 6:20 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's police chiefs are pushing to expand background checks on gun buyers.

The Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association and the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence plan to meet with Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidates on Monday and Tuesday to discuss potential federal legislation that would require buyers in private gun sales to undergo a background check.

Oregon, Wis., Police Chief Doug Pettit is chairman of the WCPA's legislative committee. He says currently only people who buy guns from a federally licensed dealer must pass a background check. He says expanding the requirement to all sales would prevent people who can't legally possess guns from obtaining them.

The chiefs association and the national gun violence prevention group plan to hold a news conference in Madison on Tuesday as well.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.