Georgia police protection law goes into effect Jan. 1

(The Center Square) – Legislation that protects Georgia law enforcement officers from crimes targeting them goes into effect on Jan. 1. The new law also establishes new standards for when police can be investigated.

House Bill 838 allows officers to seek civil damages if they are wrongfully accused of a crime and creates a “bias-motivated intimidation” offense when a first responder is targeted. The bias protections apply to police and correction officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and state troopers.

Law enforcement officials have applauded the legislation that coincided with national protests that, at times, were aimed at police. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp in August. It passed the General Assembly in late June, where it was introduced by Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell. Proponents backed up the bill with stories of threats of violence to police officers and their families.

According to the law, a person commits the offense of bias-motivated intimidation when he or she “maliciously and with the specific intent to intimidate, harass, or terrorize another person because of that person’s actual or perceived employment as a first responder.”

Anyone who harms an officer or causes damage to their property that exceeds $500 will be charged under the law and could face one to five years in prison and face a $5,000 fine.

Georgia Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director Terry Norris was unavailable for comment Tuesday, but in August, he referred to the bill as a “breath of fresh air.”

Chris Bruce, political director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, said the legislation does not reflect “the will of the public.” It adds another layer of protection for law enforcement officers, “making them the most protected class of public employees,” he said.

“This year, across the state, through the ballot box and peaceful protests, people of all ages and backgrounds have called for more police accountability, not less,” Bruce said in a statement. “It risks having a chilling effect, silencing those who call out injustice and leaves Georgia citizens with limited to no recourse in addressing actions taken by officers who fail to live up to their oaths of service.”

The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police did not respond to a request for comment.