New Florida laws enhance police safety by enhancing penalties for interfering with their performance of law enforcement duties.
By Eileen Griffin
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed two bills into law that will provide greater protection for law enforcement.
The two measureswill increase the ability of police officers to perform the duties of their job without disruptive and dangerous outside interference, The Center Square reports.
Senate Bill 184 increases the punishment for anyone who obstructs or impedes a law enforcement officer or first responder while he or she is performing their duties. This gives police some protection from anti-police activists and other disrupters.
House Bill 601 prevents oversight groups and other anti-police activists from conducting independent investigations. It will require any investigation to be handled by properly trained experts, as opposed to random citizens.
Both bills are supported by Florida’s law enforcement community. Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the new laws would help give police officers the freedom to do their jobs without the annoyance of activists and social media star wannabees.
“We see them (activists) walking up on traffic stops and investigations to cause a scene and play the victim,” Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood wrote on X. “It’s NOT about the First Amendment for these clowns, and it’s not about safety or transparency—it’s about baiting someone into a reaction that will turn into a video that makes $$.
“Sometimes it turns into following individual deputies or employees and putting a target on them,” Chitwood wrote. “There are plenty of angry losers across the country who despise law enforcement and hate government enough to spend their pathetic lives watching these videos.”
“SB 184 is a great piece of legislation,” said Mark Glass, Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, at the press conference announcing the bill signing. “Because we have officers who have to deal with protests and then we have to effect an arrest with someone who is committing a crime during the protest.”
“Then you have people around that officer that is also trying to dissuade them and part of that is impede, harass or threaten them while they are still trying to subdue this person so people can have a peaceful protest.”
Perceptions about the police have been negative the last few years, largely fueled by false information and biased media reporting, as Heartland Daily News previously reported.
A 2023 Manhattan Institute report concluded that most people do not have an accurate picture of the police. The media portrays law enforcement as aggressive and racist, but data does not support that perception.
Recent civil unrest has resulted in defunding and demonizing the police. With the reduction of police presence and slower response times, or no response, due to lower staff levels, crime has skyrocketed in many parts of the country. Defunding the police has left residents in many cities living without protection from dangerous criminals.
People have been leaving crime ridden cities and moving to Florida for the protection afforded by law enforcement in the state.
“That’s part of the reason we are here today,” DeSantis said at the news conference announcing the new laws. “We understood how important it is to have safe communities and the way you do that is to support the people that are putting the uniform on and risking their lives to keep us safe.”
While elected officials in other states and cities reduced police budgets and abandoned support for law enforcement, Florida has worked to improve conditions for its officers.
“First responders face many unknown dangers while on the job,” Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody writes on X. “In Florida, we support these brave men and women who choose to protect their communities.”
For more Budget & Tax News.
