HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 09-02 Stiffer penalty sought for police assaults REVIEW Schaller says , -Cr ,r: 1(A1 ---
Stiffer penalty sought
for police assaults
by Scott Carlson law enforcement, judicial procedure and
A stiffer penalty for assaulting police traffic regulations," Schaller said. That
officers will be one of several legislative could range from establishing a man-
concerns of the Minnesota Police Chiefs datory color for police uniforms,
Association, according to Dick Schaller, requiring state-wide registration of
its new president. bicycles"to the color of license plates and
Schaller, Maplewood director of Public the period (length of time) they run,".he
Safety, admits that the Association will added.
be left with enough things to consider this But high among the priorities will
coming year. probably be the Association's lobby for
There is,of course,the ongoing work of legislation which stiffens the penalty for
several groups within the Association assaulting police officers.
such as the Ethics Committee,the Radio- Years ago assaulting an officer was a
Teletype Communications Committee, gross misdemeanor, Schaller said. But
the Program Committee, the Crime now it has been a misdemeanor for some
Prevention Committee and the League time he added.
Liaison Committee, just as a few Officers and police chiefs experience an
examples.Then there are special training increased vulnerability in performing
institutes and conferences and seminars their jobs. Police officers have been
to discuss mutual police concerns,such as assaulted with increased frequency.
the citizen privacy acts. Schaller said that some effort must be
taken to better protect the policeman.
But Schaller indicates that a good deal "When there is trouble in an area the
of attention will be directed towards the average citizen stays away," Schaller
legislature. said. "But when the policeman is called
"We anticipate there'll be legislation in into an area he has no choice."