My county makes it illegal to annoy a cop

[Polyxo]

So, outgoing county Republicans here have tried a number of shitty things, like stripping power from DNC offices and things like this. They also just passed this gem, making it a crime to do anything that annoys a cop. To their credit, the city police department is flat out not enforcing it. However, being brown enough to draw attention in the exurbs presents a problem for people like me.
https://www.wxxinews.org/post/annoyi...-monroe-county

[Themius]

This sounds like a fucking stupid law

[D Luniz]

sounds like they just passed a law that lets a cop arrest you just cause they want to, and instead of shooting you and claimg "I was in fear of my life" they can leave you alive and claim "they annoyed me"

but Land of the Free amirite?

[Stormspark]

For the "threatening the personal safety" of a cop, yeah I agree there. But annoy? That's ridiculous. But that's what life in a dictatorship is like.

[Polyxo]

sounds like they just passed a law that lets a cop arrest you just cause they want to, and instead of shooting you and claimg "I was in fear of my life" they can leave you alive and claim "they annoyed me"

but Land of the Free amirite?

Giving more local context to it. The much more multicultural and much less white city of Rochester approved a significantly more powerful police accountability board. The response from county legislators, elected by the significantly more white and conservative exurbs comes off as a "know your place" response to the city's actions.

[Machismo]

How very fascist of Monroe County Republicans.

The desire to forcefully silence free speech is quite real among Republican politicians.

[NM 156]

"annoy, alarm or threaten"

Aren't you some of type of mma expert? That's very alarming off to the gulag with you.

[Polyxo]

"annoy, alarm or threaten"

Aren't you some of type of mma expert? That's very alarming off to the gulag with you.

Yes, I'm a retired pro fighter. I'm also kind of snarky. Thinking about staying out of the boonies in my area.

[eschatological]

So, outgoing county Republicans here have tried a number of shitty things, like stripping power from DNC offices and things like this. They also just passed this gem, making it a crime to do anything that annoys a cop. To their credit, the city police department is flat out not enforcing it. However, being brown enough to draw attention in the exurbs presents a problem for people like me.
https://www.wxxinews.org/post/annoyi...-monroe-county

Oh, you're right down the road from me, the I-90 being the road. Luckily Erie County is pretty blue, even on the county level. This is also the county where the exurbs and suburbs are represented by Chris Collins, recently indicted Republican Congressman who had to resign. Oh, and that dirt bag managed to win re-election while being under indictment before refusing to resign, which gives you an idea about the voters in Monroe (and the other rural counties around here).

What a fucking scummy place upstate NY can be.

[Polyxo]

Oh, you're right down the road from me, the I-90 being the road. Luckily Erie County is pretty blue, even on the county level. This is also the county where the exurbs and suburbs are represented by Chris Collins, recently indicted Republican Congressman who had to resign. Oh, and that dirt bag managed to win re-election while being under indictment before refusing to resign, which gives you an idea about the voters in Monroe (and the other rural counties around here).

What a fucking scummy place upstate NY can be.

Yeah, NY-27 is a combination of farms and one horse towns with no more reason to exist. Downtown Rochester is nice, but its like a 15 minute drive until you come across neo-Nazi out in Webster and stuff.

[Polyxo]

Well the law is stupid and especially with that annoy Claus. Don't think that would stand a challenge in court. That said cops do have to endure 1st amendment auditors (look up on youtube) and people shoving cameras in their faces when engaged in almost anything. We're talking 3rd party people here. Not the guy/gal being arrested/detained. It got bad here in certain cities in Texas.

Yeah, and that's why cops get paid significantly more than their education and qualifications would net. The fact that they sometimes deal with assholes doesn't garner sympathy with me.

[D Luniz]

Well the law is stupid and especially with that annoy Claus. Don't think that would stand a challenge in court. That said cops do have to endure 1st amendment auditors (look up on youtube) and people shoving cameras in their faces when engaged in almost anything. We're talking 3rd party people here. Not the guy/gal being arrested/detained. It got bad here in certain cities in Texas.

and laws punishing anyone preventing them from carrying out their legal duties cover those actions
this, this is just some people giving a blank check without thinking, or worse, hoping it will only ever be used on "those people"

[Machismo]

Well the law is stupid and especially with that annoy Claus. Don't think that would stand a challenge in court. That said cops do have to endure 1st amendment auditors (look up on youtube) and people shoving cameras in their faces when engaged in almost anything. We're talking 3rd party people here. Not the guy/gal being arrested/detained. It got bad here in certain cities in Texas.

That's what freedom of speech is all about.

[ipaq]

Its wider than that.

Lookup:

Dead Republican brothel owner wins election in Nevada

Oh, you're right down the road from me, the I-90 being the road. Luckily Erie County is pretty blue, even on the county level. This is also the county where the exurbs and suburbs are represented by Chris Collins, recently indicted Republican Congressman who had to resign. Oh, and that dirt bag managed to win re-election while being under indictment before refusing to resign, which gives you an idea about the voters in Monroe (and the other rural counties around here).

What a fucking scummy place upstate NY can be.

[ParanoiD84]

Should be common sense something alot of people lack, perhaps that's why they need laws.

[Monster Hunter]

Sounds like a law from victorian England to keep the poor people out of town centers :/

Public nuisance laws there called, some still exhist though the mostly used to move the homeless on.

[Ghostpanther]

Should be common sense something alot of people lack, perhaps that's why they need laws.

I agree. It should be against the law to harass the police. Annoy? I agree that is too vague and is subject to opinion.

[noidentity]

Oh joy, a year in jail and fines of up to $5,000 for an unconstitutional law that is entirely too vague.

[Machismo]

You're right. but there's a difference from recording as a 3rd party from a safe distance. And shoving the camera in the face of an officer while he's arresting someone. While both are the 1st amendment covered. ones interfering with a public servant. Not to mention the unpredictable natures of arrests to begin with.

Which is why this law is so absurd, because it does not differentiate betwixt the two.

Almost every single state (I cannot think of one that does not) has laws regarding interfering in the arrest of a suspect. Every state has laws against assault.

So, this is utterly unnecessary, and is simply a mechanism for justifying authoritarian behavior.

If a person wants to tell a cop to go fuck himself, that should be legal. If he wants to tell a cop that he had sex with his/her mother... that should also be legal. If he wants to film it all, that should also be legal.

[D Luniz]

There are far to many times someone is more than 10 feet away while recording an officer and that officer starts demanding their phone cause they dont like it. This bullshit law would make them arresting that person legal.

Make my words that is the only reason it got passed. To make it harder to provide oversight.