OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed a bill into law that will increase the penalty for assaulting an off-duty law enforcement officer.
Currently, anyone who commits assault or assault and battery against an on-duty officer is charged with a felony. But the penalty drops to a misdemeanor if the same crime is committed against an off-duty officer.
“Under current law, a criminal could pursue a law enforcement officer in their private lives and face a lower penalty,” said Sanders, R-Kingfisher. “The legislation does not create a felony in all situations, but it does make it possible to charge the assailant with a felony if they are coming after members of law enforcement, regardless of whether he or she is on or off-duty.”
House Bill 1318 will make an assault on an off-duty officer a felony.
The new law will take effect on November 1.
