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State Sen. Lisa Boscola is working on legislation that would make public disclosure of home addresses of police and military personnel illegal, and local law enforcement officials appreciate her efforts.
“Police and military personnel put their lives on the line for all of us every day. These officers, their spouses and children have every right to feel safe and secure in their own neighborhood and in their own home,” Boscola, D-Bethlehem Township, said. “My bill makes it clear that no one has the right to target an officer where they live.”
Boscola said her legislation was spurred by the recent incidents involving acting state police commissioner Marcus Brown, who was targeted in his own neighborhood. The commissioner was secretly video-taped, subjected to critical signage near his children’s bus stop and received a racist note in his mailbox.
Boscola said it is important to also protect military residences, given “relentless threats” from worldwide terrorist organizations such as ISIS. Last week, an ISIS-affiliated group published a “kill list” with the names and home addresses of American soldiers.
Under the Boscola bill, it would be a third-degree misdemeanor to disseminate the address, give directions, or share photographs or video of the residence of a police officer or member of the military without a “legitimate purpose” or the police officer’s or military member’s consent.
The prohibition would also apply to electronic and social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Boscola added that the state’s right to know law already exempts the disclosure of home addresses for law enforcement by a government agency. However, it is not illegal to intentionally distribute to any other person or the public at large the address, street or neighborhood of law enforcement personnel. She said her proposal would help protect police officers and military personnel from harassment and potential violence.
Colleague applauds efforts
While state Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, said he hasn’t had the opportunity to review Boscola’s proposed legislation, he applauds her for advancing the debate on how best to protect Pennsylvania military and law enforcement personnel.
“Regrettably, those who protect us on foreign soil and those who protect us in our community have increasingly become targets of violence or harassment,” Yudichak said.
Yudichak pointed to the ambush of two state troopers outside their Blooming Grove barracks as further evidence of
“The tragic assassination of state police corporal Bryon Dickson is a sad and sobering reminder of just how dangerous these jobs truly have become. When information can be so easily transferred through social media, Pennsylvania needs to ensure our protectors also enjoy some measure of protection from targeted criminal acts,” Yudichak said.
Support in Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Robert Hughes said he fully supports Boscola’s bill, as it pertains to both police and military.
“Both groups are at the forefront of different wars, the police have the war on crime and the military, the war for our freedom,” Hughes said.
“This bill will give both police officers and our soldiers a peace of mind that, when they are doing this dangerous work, they do not have to worry about their family or home being targeted by criminals or our country’s enemies,” he said.
I think it’s a good idea, from a safety standpoint,” said Wilkes-Barre police union president Chris Benson.
Online posts
Hazleton Police Chief Frank DeAndrea also threw his support behind the bill.
“Senator Boscola has shown wisdom that many take for granted by introducing this bill. So often many of the public are quick to forget police and military members have families that live in the same communities which they serve,” DeAndrea said.
If it becomes law, DeAndrea said, Boscola’s bill would not only give law enforcement the tools necessary to combat those who will continue to attack law enforcement and military on a personal level, it would also better enable police and and the military do their jobs with better precision and focus.
Threats in Hazleton
DeAndrea added that many of his colleagues have had death threats and contracts placed on their heads over their careers.
“At the end of the day, police are in the arrest business. If we are doing our jobs, someone is not going to be happy. Everyone, and I mean everyone, should feel safe when they go to work knowing that their families, wives children and loved ones are safe,” DeAndrea said.
DeAndrea also noted that he and two officers in his department have been targets of death threats.
“We have had directions to our door steps posted on Facebook and instructions for people to go ‘Light these places up!’ Yet, these men and I chose to go to work every day. We go to work not because we do not love our wives and our children, we go to work because if we succumb to the demands and ravings of these people, if we stop working out of fear, then we are allowing them to succeed,” DeAndrea said.