U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, along with 16 of her Republican colleagues, is reintroducing a bill that would create federal penalties for those who target law enforcement officers — whether local, state or federal — with violence.
Called the Protect and Serve Act, it seeks to stiffen penalties, including possible imprisonment of 10 years, for knowingly attempting to cause serious bodily harm to an officer, and life imprisonment if an officer dies, or if the offense involves kidnapping or attempted kidnapping.
Collins says in a statement that the act seeks to hold criminals “fully accountable” for violence against law enforcement. She cites the 47 officers who lost their lives last year, along with 14 this year, including Capitol Police Officer Brian David Sicknick, who was killed during a pro-Trump riot at the U.S. Capitol building.
The bill has been opposed in the past by the ACLU and other social advocacy groups, who argue that police killings have not been on the rise, and are already stringently prosecuted.
