State Senator Schaffer introduces legislation to Protect First Responders

ZANESVILLE – Schaffer thought of Senate Bill 359 after seeing riots in cities like Columbus and people attacking first responders such as police and firefighters who Schaffer says are only trying to do their jobs and keep people safe.

“We’re increasing criminal penalties on those folks. If they try to intimidate or they touch a police officer in an assault or keep a firefighter from getting to a fire which we’ve heard of as well, it’s going to be a third degree felony in this legislation,” Schaffer said.

If the legislation is passed, any person found guilty of combating with law enforcement or EMS will be tried in a court of law.

“This would be like any other crime where you would be arrested and charged and you will have to go through the judicial system to defend themselves and it can end up in a criminal trial. So, good luck. If you’re on video hitting a cop or preventing a firefighter or a firetruck from getting close to a scene where people are in danger or there’s a fire or somebody’s having a health problem, you’re going to have to defend yourself if you’ve got witnesses saying you hit somebody or intimidated somebody from doing their job,” Schaffer said.

Schaffer said the bill is in its very early stages of being analyzed and reviewed by the Senate.