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Should NH make violence against police a hate crime?

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On August 1st, Lousiana's "Blue Lives Matter" law went into effect. The law adds intentionally targeting law enforcement officials, such as police or firefighters, to state hate crime legislation. Convictions under hate crime laws allow for harsher penalties for charges such as assault or murder. 

Law enforcement officials are not currently covered by New Hampshire's hate crime legislation. However, New Hampshire law does allow increased penalties for crimes committed against police acting in the line of duty. These included harsher sentences for assault and the death penalty for murder cases. 

Supporters of the move include Chuck Canterbury, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, who argued "our members are increasingly under fire by individuals motivated by nothing more than a desire to kill or injure a cop." Other proponents claim that making violence against police officers a hate crime sends an important message that targeting law enforcement officials will not be tolerated.  

Opponents counter that hate crimes are meant to apply to bias against innate parts of a victim's identity, such as gender, race, religion, ancestry, disability or sexual orientation--not a chosen occupation. Others note that despite several high-profile cases, instances of violence against police have reportedly decreased in recent years. 

UPDATE: Read our Citizen Voices℠ report and find out where New Hampshire stands on this issue.

 

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