DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has introduced a proposed law aimed at increasing penalties for assaults against law enforcement officers and first responders, KTIV reported.
“Our law enforcement and first responder heroes deserve our respect and appreciation. But instead, we have seen an increase in assaults on our law enforcement, like violent attacks or spitting on an officer,” Bird said. “This bill ensures that any criminal who assaults a law enforcement hero gets the penalty they deserve.”
Under the proposed changes, assaults involving a dangerous weapon or those intended to cause serious injury would be elevated from a “D” felony to a “C” felony, according to the report. Assaults that result in bodily injury would increase from an aggravated misdemeanor to a “D” felony. All other types of assaults would be raised from a serious misdemeanor to an aggravated misdemeanor and include a mandatory minimum sentence of seven days in jail.
The bill also includes spitting on law enforcement officers, first responders or corrections officers as a form of assault punishable under the law, according to the report.
