Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed laws Friday that make it harder for anyone to harass law enforcement officials while they are performing their duties and that forbid communities from utilizing political organizations like Civilian Oversight Boards to further anti-police sentiment.
“I am proud to support the men and women of law enforcement throughout the state,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Today’s legislation will ensure law enforcement can do their jobs without the threat of harassment. While blue states vilify and defund the police, Florida will continue to be the friendliest state in the nation towards our law enforcement community.”
“In Florida under Governor DeSantis, first responders and police officers are supported and respected,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass. “Today’s legislation protects the rights of law enforcement officers and ensures they can remain safe on the job.”
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Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 184 and HB 601 into law, which:
- Prohibits the harassment of a police officer or first responder who is actively doing his or her job.
- This law pertains to any person who has received a verbal warning not to approach an officer and who approaches with the intent to interfere with their official duties, threaten with physical harm, or harass the officer.
- Under this bill, an individual who harasses a law enforcement officer in the line of duty will be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor.
HB 601 does the following:
- Prevents anti-police activists from carrying out extrajudicial investigations against law enforcement.
- Codifies the creation of “Civilian Oversight Boards” to ensure they are directed by a county sheriff or chief of police and are comprised of at least three to seven members, all of whom are appointed by the sheriff or chief of police.
- At least one member must be a retired law enforcement officer.
- Ensures that misconduct allegations will be investigated by those properly trained and equipped to handle such investigations, such as Internal Affairs Departments or the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC).
- Increases all county sheriffs’ base salaries by $5,000 for each population group.
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