Proposed bill would make it a crime to harass Florida first responders at scenes

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A bill awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis' signature would make it a crime to harass Florida first responders while they're working.

"The minute you get into a deputy's face, the minute you start disregarding lawful orders, now you're creating a dangerous situation. You're committing a crime, you're going to get ticketed and get locked up," Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said Thursday.

Senate Bill 184 defines a first responder as a law enforcement officer, a correctional probation officer, a firefighter, or an emergency medical care provider. If signed into law, the bill would make it a crime to knowingly ignore a first responder's warning not to approach or to remain within 25 feet of that first responder to harass or interfere with their work.

Chitwood supports it.

"What we're seeing more and more is this aggressive, dangerous behavior that causes danger to my deputies, officer safety, and police officers throughout the state of Florida with this nonsense," he said.

This behavior, he says, is often exhibited by so-called "First Amendment auditors." According to Chitwood, their goal is to get a reaction out of deputies while recording them so they can post the videos online. 

"Hey, if there's a car stop, and you want to stand there across the street and film it, man, have at it. But you don't come up over the deputy's shoulder or on a car stop, refuse to comply, and try to bait that deputy into doing something," Chitwood said.

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If convicted, you could face up to two months in jail or pay a fine of up to $500 as the crime would be a misdemeanor of the second degree. 

However, the bill does not appear to target the so-called auditors when they're in government buildings and recording officials, which Chitwood says also happens. In those cases, the "auditors" can be trespassed and arrested if they enter unauthorized areas. 

"You're in there renewing your driver's license. You're at the property appraiser's office disputing your tax bill. You're at the clerk of courts trying to get information. You're conducting government business, and they're in there filming that and filming the screens and recording your sensitive information. That's not what the First Amendment is all about," Chitwood said. 

He tells his deputies to be professional while watching for their safety. 

"I'll say this clearly. If you get called a [expletive] by one of my deputies, I'm not disciplining them. If that's what comes out of their mouth and they say you're acting like an [expletive], so be it," Chitwood said. "You earned the title."

SB 184 passed both the House and Senate. If Gov. DeSantis signs it into law, it will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.