New York Law Makes “Annoying” A Cop Illegal

The New York State Legislature currently has a bill in front of them that would make it illegal to "annoy an officer of the law" and it could have some grave consequences for those found guilty.

According the bill, you can be charged with a felony if you "harass, annoy, threaten or alarm" an on duty police officer by subjecting them to any physical contact. Anyone found guilty of this could face up to four years in prison.

Senator Joe Griffo (R) of Rome, who sponsored the bill, stated to WIVB that "Police officers who risk their lives every day in our cities and on our highways deserve every possible protection, and those who treat them with disrespect, harass them and create situations that can lead to injuries deserve to pay a price for their actions."

The bill was passed by the State Senate on Wednesday (June 5) and will now go before the State Assembly. Here's some of the language from the bill:

AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to aggravated harassment of peace officers or police officers

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 240.33 to read as follows:
S 240.33 AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT OF A POLICE OFFICER OR PEACE OFFICER.
A PERSON IS GUILTY OF AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT OF A POLICE OFFICER OR PEACE OFFICER WHEN, WITH THE INTENT TO HARASS, ANNOY, THREATEN OR ALARM A PERSON WHOM HE OR SHE KNOWS OR REASONABLY SHOULD KNOW TO BE A POLICE OFFICER OR PEACE OFFICER ENGAGED IN THE COURSE OF PERFORMING HIS OR HER OFFICIAL DUTIES, HE OR SHE STRIKES, SHOVES, KICKS OR OTHERWISE SUBJECTS SUCH PERSON TO PHYSICAL CONTACT.
AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT OF A POLICE OFFICER OR PEACE OFFICER IS A CLASS E FELONY.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.