As police ambushes have become more frequent across the country in the last year, state lawmakers want to ensure our men and women in uniform are better protected. A “Blue Lives Matter” bill will be introduced when the 2017 session opens and it seeks to stiffen consequences for targeting law enforcement officers. A person who kills a law enforcement officer is already subject to the death penalty under Mississippi state law. However, under the proposed legislation, a person convicted of aggravated assault or other crimes on a law enforcement officer would also face enhanced penalties

“You look at the rash of crime across the country for doing nothing more than putting on their uniform and going out to protect us every day…and what it’s going to to is it’s going to classify targeting law enforcement officials just because of their job. If you target them as part of a crime, it’s going to double the penalty and it’s going to be classified as a hate crime.”

– Sean Tindell (R) State Senator, District 49

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The “Blue Lives Matter Bill” will be brought up when the session opens on January third.