Law enforcement protection act moves to the Kansas House

A bill that would levy harsher penalties against people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers moved to the Kansas House of Representatives.

The law enforcement protection act, or HB 2049, would make some crimes one severity level higher if they were committed against law enforcement officers, such as sheriff’s deputies, police officers and members of the Kansas Highway Patrol.

It was approved unanimously by the House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice.

Some crimes, like assault or first-degree murder, already carry heavier penalties if they are committed against officers. The bill would not apply to Department of Corrections officers.

Rep. Russell Jenkins, R-Lakin, said the distinguishing factor should be the power of arrest.

“We should send a strong message to folks that … you don’t just pick on cops because they’re cops,” said Jenkins, the committee chairman. “There should be a higher level of accountability, and they should be afforded protections.”

Rep. Blaine Finch, R-Ottawa, supported the measure because “law enforcement officers are targeted specifically (for) what they do.” But he said he didn’t like bills “that impart special statutes under the law and protect some differently than others.”

“We heard statements that police officers represent society and the rule of law and therefore an attack on them should somehow be treated differently than an attack on any other citizen,” he said, referring to testimony on the bill.

“If the citizen under our society is of the paramount importance, then they shouldn’t be worse off than a police officer,” he said. “That’s what these kind of bills do.”

This story was originally published January 26, 2017 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Law enforcement protection act moves to the Kansas House."