When it comes to the Economy, nothing could put us into more financial jeopardy than instability and lawlessness. Protecting those men and women who protect our communities should be of the highest economic priority.
Judges and prosecutors are often threatened with violence by criminals who know they will face little to no consequences for such actions. They are not given the same protection as police officers and, in some cases, can be put into protective custody due to the threat of violence.
National Police Association Advocates
Police, judges, and prosecutors need to have a law that protects them from unwarranted lawsuits. The law must protect them from people trying to sue them for doing their jobs. The National Police Association (NPA) advocates for the rights and protection of all law enforcement officers. It is their mission to provide a national voice for police, judges, and prosecutors.
Judges and prosecutors have always been vulnerable to attack due to the nature of their jobs. However, an increased number of threats has created a need for protection. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports increase threats against judges and prosecutors over the last decade. These attacks range from verbal harassment to death threats.
The National Center for State Courts estimates that in 2016, there were 17 judge and prosecutor homicides. The number of judges and prosecutors killed on the job has increased by over 160% in the last ten years. This increase is a threat to the justice system.
New Laws in Some States
A new law in California will protect police, judges, and prosecutors from being prosecuted for violating the law. The law is called the “Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights,” or POBAR for short. The law is to protect police, judges, and prosecutors from false accusations and excessive force. POBAR will change how these officials are investigated and held accountable for their actions.
New Jersey is the first state to make it illegal to publish any information about a state judge online or offline, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. By prohibiting the release of information about judges, New Jersey seeks to cultivate an environment where public opinion cannot influence judges’ decisions, instead are guided by law.
Prosecutors and judges are among the most common targets of violence. Defendants seeking to influence the outcome of their cases commit the vast majority of these attacks.
Judges, prosecutors, and police serve the public. Judges’ task is with presiding over a court of law and deciding what is legally permissible. Prosecutors are responsible for bringing cases to court. Police officers enforce the law by catching criminals, gathering evidence, making arrests, and more.
Assaulting police officers is now considered a crime in Minnesota, thanks to new legislation. The law now covers every correction officers. As the name implies, the Matson Act is an anti-assault statute that increases penalties for people who attack public officials.
The legal system protects the police but leaves judges and prosecutors unprotected. The law protects the police by a thick layer of legislation. The law also grants them many rights that protect them from lawsuits and punishments. Judges and prosecutors, on the other hand, are left with no such protection.
Call to Create Laws of Protection
Therefore, it is time to implement a law that will protect prosecutors and judges with the same level of protection that protects police officers when they’re performing their duty.
And if law enforcement is a protected class, then it should be included in the same laws that protect judges and prosecutors. After a county judge in Pennsylvania was murdered, people question why we don’t have to same protections for judges and prosecutors as we do for police.
Over the past few months, the National Police Association has been working with Congress to pass legislation that will protect these public servants. To find out more, visit the National Police Association at nationalpolice.org!
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