Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Two Massachusetts lawmakers have introduced a bill that would establish penalties for people who get too close to first responders at work.
The HALO Act (H.2057) was introduced by Republican State Representative Steven Xiarhos and Democratic State Representative Richard Wells Jr., both retired from law enforcement.
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The bill allows first responders such as police officer, firefighters, and EMTs to set up a 25-foot buffer zone during emergency situations and verbally warn people to stay out of that zone.
People who ignore this warning and "intentionally impede, interfere with, threaten, or harass first responders while they perform their duties" would be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 for the first offense, or a fine of up to $5,000 and jail time for up to one year for the second and future offenses.
Among the measure's proponents is the Essex County Chiefs of Police Association.
"It protects the firefighter, paramedic, or police officer, but at the same time, it also protects the public," Amesbury Police Chief Craig Bailey told WBZ NewsRadio Friday. "Because we don’t want people getting involved or getting too close to a situation that could potentially hurt them. When people go in and they don’t know why the handcuffs are going on that person or they don’t know why that person is getting lifesaving medicine, it could impact them."
First Amendment advocates are opposed to the legislation. According to the Boston Globe, critics believe the measure "would make it substantially more difficult for the media and others to record police, which, in some instances, has provided crucial evidence of misconduct."
In response, Bailey noted that under the legislation, no one would be forbidden from taking photos or videos of these "volatile situations," but would just have to do so from a safe distance.
"We support people out there trying to take videos," Bailey said. "It’s an important part of the First Amendment right to be able to do so. However, getting really close or within the five foot zone of a police officer or paramedic or firefighter trying to do their job, it could alter that situation quite drastically."
The bill is patterned after a similar law in Florida.
WBZ's Kendall Buhl reports.