Lawmakers in Nassau County, New York, are pushing for measures to make it illegal to stand within 15 feet of a police officer or other first responder in an emergency, but critics of the proposal have argued it is unconstitutional.
People entering the “buffer zone” for first responders in emergencies face misdemeanor charges and a $1,000 fine, along with a possible up to one year behind the bar, according to a bill introduced by the county council committee.
The measures are trying to protect first responders from “threats, harassment and physical interference,” lawmakers say.
“It’s important that first responders are allowed to engage in life-saving actions that are trained to carry out without distraction during an emergency and that our frontline heroes are trained to carry out without distraction,” Republican John Ferretti told the New York Post.
New York’s proposal prohibits police from banning traffic stops for minor violations to pursue “racial equity.”
Lawmakers from Nassau County, New York, are pushing for measures to make it illegal to stand within 15 feet of an initial responder in an emergency. (Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM)
State law already has intervened with first responders and imposed a maximum of one year prison, three years of probation, or a $1,000 fine.
The new bill was introduced by Republicans but has gained support from some Democrats, according to the newspaper.
“Our police officers and first responders shouldn’t have to fight the crowd while saving lives,” Democrat Seth Coslow, who runs for county executive, told the New York Post. “This bill gives them the authority to keep up with confusion and do their work without interference, which is supported by both parties.
The bill was introduced by Republicans but has gained support from several Democrats, including Seth Coslaw. (Getty Images)
Despite bipartisan support among lawmakers, critics say the bill can go too far and abused and curb people’s constitutional rights.
“The Floating Buffer Zone provides yet another way for police to keep their activities hidden from public scrutiny,” Justin Harrison, a senior policy attorney for the New York Civil Liberties Union, told The New York Post. “Don’t make any laws that make police difficult to monitor, no one should make them safer. In reality, they violate the constitution, violate the principles of government transparency and promote distrust among law enforcement.”
Several other states passed similar laws that were later cast into court.
Video captures a grandmother in New York, children narrowly avoiding manhole explosion
People entering the “buffer zone” for their first responders in emergencies face misdemeanor fees and a $1,000 fine, along with the possibility of up to one year behind the bar. (Getty Images)
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Louisiana passed a law last year prohibiting people from being within 25 feet of police after being told to back up. However, last month a federal judge blocked the measure, finding it could violate due process regulations in the 14th Amendment and violate journalists’ freedom of press guaranteed by the First Amendment, which grants the right to acquire principals.
Similar laws in Arizona and Indiana have also been blocked by federal judges.
“We hope that if Nassau laws are passed, we will meet the same fate,” Harrison said.
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