OHIO — A new bill aimed at better protecting police and firefighters on the job is on its way to Governor Mike DeWine.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, State Representative Phil Plummer said the bill aims to create a safer environment for victims or patients and for the first responders who show up to help.
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Plummer used to be Montgomery County’s sheriff.
He responded to many emergency scenes in his law enforcement career.
“I’ve been on a lot of scenes, drug warrants, SWAT callouts, they can get it chaotic real quick,” Plummer said.
Plummer said this bill would create the criminal offense of harassing a first responder.
“We termed that the halo bill, where we’re requiring at an emergency scene, you give the first responders a 15-foot radius. So, our goal is to just have a safe environment for any victim, any person who needs medical attention, and a safe for the first-responders, police, firefighters, what have you,” Plummer said.
If, after a warning, someone breaks that 15-foot bubble, the bill calls for people to be arrested for the offense.
“You’ll be arrested and charged with obstruction of official business, as a first-degree misdemeanor. And if you injure the first responder while violating this new law, you’ll receive a fourth-degree felony and you can do prison time after that,” Plummer said.
Plummer added that the bill is aimed at hostile scenes where first responders need space to do their jobs.
“It’s so important because as you see across the country, people are still getting in law enforcement officer’s faces, being disrespectful, get their cameras out, doing YouTube videos. So all we’re asking the public to do is give us the space,” Plummer said.
Once this bill gets to Governor DeWine’s office, he can sign it, veto it or let it sit for 10 days and become law without his signature.
If he signs it into law, it will take effect three months later.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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