Killing law enforcement would be a hate crime under new bill - New York Post

Attacking or killing cops and other first responders would be a hate crime under a bill passed by the state Senate on Tuesday.

The Community Heroes Protection Act would make cops, firefighter and EMTs among those to be included in the state’s hate crimes laws which bump violent crimes up a level and impose harsher penalties.

The legislation, sponsored by retired Upstate undersheriff, Republican Sen. Fred Akshar, was spurred in part by the death of 135 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the United States last year. That’s the highest number since 2011 and 21 of those resulted from ambush killings, the highest number in two decades.

“The passage of stiffer penalties will not single-handedly protect all of our emergency service workers but we must make it clear that targeted offenses against our Community Heroes will not be taken lightly,” Akshar said.

The law would make it a hate crime to intentionally target first responders. That means charges would rise by one level. For example, a class A misdemeanor is deemed a felony when it’s committed as a hate crime targeting a person because they belong to a certain group.

“Each day, our brave and dedicated law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and medical service personnel put their lives on the line for our safety and they are being targeted with violence simply because they wear a first responder uniform,” said Republican Sen. Martin Golden, a retired cop from Brooklyn.

Earlier this year, EMT Yadira Arroyo was run over by her own ambulance when a Bronx man stole it and mowed her down.

The legislation is sponsored by in the Assembly by Democrat Peter Abbate Jr. but it is not scheduled for a vote.

The bill passed the same day that cops and officials from across the state honored those who died in the line of duty by adding 40 names to the state’s police memorial wall. Of those, 38 died from 9/11 related illnesses. One was State Trooper Timothy Pratt who led previous memorial service processions but was hit by a car and killed last fall near Saratoga.

NYPD Sgt. Paul Tuozzolo, who was killed while responding to a domestic violence and hostage-taking call in the Bronx last fall was also added. The perpetrator was killed by a quick-thinking rookie recruit.

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