“Annoying” Police Officers Is A Felony Now

A bill passed yesterday by the NY State Senate makes “annoying” cops a Class E Felony. “Aggravated harassment” includes any physical contact “with the intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm” a police officer, the bill reads, though it’s unclear how that intent is distinguished. The New York Observer puts it well:

While we don’t condone assaulting the NYPD by any means, “aggravated harassment” is a nebulous term that assumes malicious intent where there might be none.

Certain forms of physical contact are mentioned specifically in the bill, but then it seems much is open to interpretation–a lot of interpretation, especially, for an offense that could earn someone up to four years’ prison time.

What do you think of the bill? Is it necessary to better protect the police, or is the potential for misuse a larger issue here? And if you don’t find it specific enough, what parameters would you add?