Fla. lawmakers consider new set of bills protecting first responders

With increasing threats against first responders, Florida lawmakers say it’s time to give them new protections.

Lawmakers hope a set of three new bills will cause someone to think twice before attacking law enforcement officials.

The sponsor cites the murder of a Leon County deputy one year ago as example of why it’s needed. A man with anti-government beliefs killed Deputy Chris Smith in a staged attack. The man intentionally set a house on fire to lure fire responders to the scene, and then opened fire.

Representative Elizabeth Porter filed a bill, making it a hate crime to target an officer.

“Sometimes it’s just unfortunately a demented way to get attention. But before they conduct these attacks, these ambushes, that they plan to or that comes on them at the spur of the moment, I want them to have to think twice about what they’re going to do,” said Porter.

A separate piece of legislation would make it a crime to threaten a first responder on social media.

“If you make a credible threat against people like first responders and others, you should be liable for your threat,” said Rep. Jimmie Smith.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco cited a social media post of a man holding a rifle saying he was going to shoot up Land O’Lakes as a need for new legislation.

“These people with social media are going online, they’re stating ‘I’m going to shoot up a school,’ really from law enforcement’s perspective, all we have is a misdemeanor,” said Nocco.

The postings would be redefined as ‘terroristic threats’ under the new proposal. Anyone convicted could face penalties, such as paying for the emergency response to the threat.

The third bill in the trio of first responder legislation would increase the monthly benefits a surviving spouse receives if their loved one is killed in the line of duty.