The New York State Senate today passed a bill that creates the crime of aggravated harassment of a police or peace officer. The bill (S.2402), sponsored by Senator Joe Griffo (R-C-I, Rome) would make it a felony to harass, annoy, or threaten a police officer while on duty.
The harass and threaten part I get, but annoy? That’s a pretty broad term. My first thought was just another way to disarm the peasants. A simple way to get a felony conviction.
Hasn’t it always been illegal to threaten or harass anybody much less a LE officer?
The annoy part is definitely vague. More and more ridiculous laws being introduced every day.
Can’t speak to New York Law, but yeah, usually threatening someone equals assault, do it with a weapon, and at least around here you are looking at a felony charge. That said, a felony to annoy someone? What the fuck is classified as annoying someone? Broad area to use it in? Hell if I was up there and a LEO as soon as this went into effect I’ve arrest the governor or someone claiming they annoyed me and see what happens. Going by the law…
I am just spit balling here, didn’t read the law or anything, just trying to find some humor this morning.
Same here just going by the quote. Is it just me or does it seem commonplace today to try and pit the citizens against LE and foster this sort of distrust among us?
I don’t know if it is LE against Civie as much as everyone against everyone. If your power base is weak then it is wise to weaken your opposition in anyway you can.
So if it passes, the way is works now is OGA, “obstructing a government agency”, if a party is involved in one of the above listed actions and the party contains 3 or more people the officer can charge them with one of 6 sub category’s, failure to disburse, talking inappropriately, etc. Arrest them and take them to jail. If its 2 or less the officer cannot do anything. So the new law if passed it will make them able to arrest the 2 or less.
Assault 3rd is an a misdemeanor (on a citizen), assault 2nd (on a police officer)
Harassment second (annoying behavior) is a violation.
Usually the charge for any crime on a peace officer is bumped up one level in NY now with the felony they are bumping 2 levels.
No kidding… I annoyed one a couple of months ago. Driving on a single lane road and approaching a T intersection. Middle of day, no traffic to speak of. At the T the single lane widens to a left and right turn lane. I mistakenly approached the right lane and at last second because no one was around turned into the left lane so I could go left. So I was kinda blocking both lanes a bit. A couple cars were coming on the other road so I read my map some more to be certain where I needed to go after my turn.
Well of all things the next thing I hear is a chirp, I look up, realized he wanted me to move on. I raised my hand in acknowledgement and eased forward… as soon as I did that he jumps out of his car, hold on, hold on… So I put it in park thinking WTF…
He walks up to me and asks me if I have been drinking. I don’t even drink. I just said What!and laughed… He then said you are blocking two lanes! I couldn’t get by. I said oh, sorry I had to change lanes at last minute as I pulled to stop sign, I got my directions mixed up, and then there was traffic, I was just reading my map… and showed him the map book. He was still pissed and told me I needed to have better situational awareness and to move on. I’m serious this guy was pissed from the time he rolled up behind me and was still pissed when he got back in his car. You would have thought he caught me driving 40mph over the speed limit from his attitude.
EDIT: Hey wait a minute… if this law passes and there is a NY LEO on here… if he gets annoyed by a post can he arrest the forum? Or does the poster have to be from NY too… what if the poster’s message is routed through a server in NY?
OK, but… As a private citizen can I file charges or a complaint if I’m being filmed? What if I’m unaware that I’m being filmed, but learn of it later can I file a complaint then and have it removed from what ever venue it’s being shown on?
I guess in short since it’s been “found” that my right to privacy ends at my door way, then how is anyone’s “privacy” (including LEO) being violated by being filmed? If I film the PD doing their job, either properly or improperly, and am not hindering their execution of their job in any manner, then what difference should it make?
Throwing a bone perhaps to the purple tie gestapo maybe? Stop speaking out against the SAFE Act (a la NYS sheriffs association) and we’ll do this for you.
Stupidity as usual… Gotta keep that privileged class growing.
