The targeting of our public safety personnel must come to and end. An assault on our community's first line of defense is an assault on the community itself.

Perpetrators of this hate-motivated act should be met with severe punishment, no less severe than those who would target other specific classes of people with hatred as their primary motivation.

That is why I, a Political Scientist/Activist and Peace Officer in the State of Colorado, am calling upon you to join me in soliciting our State Legislature to enact measured, rational, and sensible laws that will further protect those who protect us.

Colorado First Responders Hate Crime Bill (CFRHCB)

A petition for the Colorado General Assembly to add provisions in the Title 18 Criminal Code of the Colorado Revised Statutes to include targeting a person who is or believed to be employed as a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, or an emergency medical services professional as a hate crime.

Definitions:
1. Law Enforcement Officer is defined as any active or retired town, municipality, city, county, or state peace officer, marshal, police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, probation or parole officer, corrections officer, park ranger, wildlife enforcement officer, reservist, as well as any federal law enforcement officer or employee whose duties include making arrests, performing search and seizures, execution of criminal arrest warrants, execution of civil seizure warrants, civil functions as performed by sheriffs and deputy sheriffs, enforcing penal or traffic laws, town and city ordinances, or the care, custody, control, and supervision of inmates.

2. Firefighter is defined as any firefighter regularly employed by a fire department of any town, municipality, city, or fire protection district in the State of Colorado to include volunteer firefighters.

3. Emergency Medical Services Professional is defined as outlined throughout Colorado Revised Statutes 25-3.5-103.

Once all the signatures are gathered, this will be delivered to the Colorado General Assembly, and I will work to lobby State Representatives and/or Senators to sponsor this bill during the next Legislative Session which begins January, 2017.

I will seek support from our elected officials, as well as our State, County, City, and Town Law Enforcement and Fire Department Leaders.

Please sign this petition, spread the word, share this with your Colorado friends and neighbors.