Florida lawmakers are responding to a shooting on Dallas police officers which left five officers dead and 14 people wounded Thursday evening, pledging to create new laws grouping law enforcement officers and firefighters in the state’s definition of a hate crime.
Rep. Neil Combee, R-Lakeland, said, if he is re-elected, he plans to sponsor a “Blue Lives Matter” bill for the 2017 Legislative session which will begin in January in the Florida House. Combee was looking for a co-sponsor to bring the bill to the other chamber and quickly signed on Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who he plans to sponsor the companion bill in the Senate.
“Last night’s attack that took the lives of five Dallas police officers who were protecting the rights of citizens to exercise their right to peaceful assembly is absolutely despicable,” said Baxley in a statement released Friday. “Our hearts break for their families and for that community. This tragedy hardens my resolve to fight the dangerous and growing disdain for law enforcement that is seeping into our culture.”
Baxley said he would do everything in his power to protect, equip and honor law enforcement officers and their service.
Violence has erupted across the country this week, with two separate shootings of black men in Louisiana and in Minnesota.
On Tuesday, Alton Sterling was killed by police officers outside of a store in Baton Rouge. On Wednesday, Philando Castile was shot several times by a law enforcement officer during a traffic stop in St. Paul.
By Thursday evening, thousands of protesters had gathered around the country protesting police brutality. Black Lives Matter protesters flocked the streets of Dallas in a peaceful protest which soon turned violent as shots rang out and officers went down.
Dallas Police said the attack was perpetrated by a sniper who later died in a police-executed bomb attack after negotiations failed.
The legislation will be modeled on a Louisiana law which will take effect on August 1. The new Louisiana law will make it illegal to target a police officer in a hate crime. The proposal passed easily in the Louisiana legislature earlier this year.
“Our first responders deserve every protection we can afford them,” said Combee. “This is a simple issue. Those who protect us deserve protection. When they leave their families to keep ours safe, they should know we appreciate [their] dedication and sacrifice.”
Baxley agreed.
“Law enforcement officers hold the fabric of our society together,” said Baxley. “An attack on them is an attack on our tradition of ordered liberty, and we must do everything possible to hold individuals who do them harm accountable.”
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
