Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Monday an effort to strengthen penalties for crimes committed against law enforcement officers. It's called the Police Protection Act.
"At a time when law enforcement officers increasingly come under assault simply because of the job they hold, Texas must send a resolute message that the State will stand by the men and women who serve and protect our communities," said Abbott.
The proposal is punctuated by making it a hate crime for anyone to commit a crime against a law enforcement officer out of bias against the police. The governor will request that the Texas legislature pass the Police Protection Act in the 2017 legislative session, reports KIII.
Governor Abbott's Police Protection Act includes the following proposals:
- Extend hate crime protections to law enforcement officers
- Increase criminal penalties for any crime in which the victim is a law enforcement officer, whether or not the crime qualifies as a hate crime
- Create a culture of respect for law enforcement by organizing a campaign to educate young Texans on the value law enforcement officers bring to their communities
"The recent shooting in Dallas is not the first time law enforcement officers in Texas have been targeted. Our goal is to do everything possible to make it the last," added Abbott.
