Nassau County wants to make it illegal to stand within 15 feet of cops — but critics say ‘buffer zone' is unconstitutional

Yahoo

23-04-2025

Nassau County lawmakers want to make it illegal to stand within 15 feet of cops and other emergency workers — but critics say the 'buffer zone' would be unconstitutional.
Civilians who enter the 'zone' for police, firefighters and other first responders during an emergency would be slapped with a misdemeanor and a $1,000 fine — with the possibility of up to a year behind bars, according to a new bill introduced by Republicans in the county Board of Legislators.
The goal of the bill aims to protect emergency responders from 'threats, harassment, and physical interference' while on the job, according to lawmakers.
'It is important that first responders are not obstructed during emergency situations and that our frontline heroes are allowed to engage in the lifesaving actions they are trained to perform without distractions,' Legislator John Ferretti said.
The proposed law has bipartisan support from some Democrats, including Seth Koslow, who is running for county executive against Republican incumbent Bruce Blakeman.
'Our cops and first responders shouldn't have to fight crowds while they're saving lives,' Koslow told The Post. 'This bill gives them the authority to keep chaos out and do their jobs without interference. It's backed by both parties — because protecting those who protect us shouldn't be political.'
State law already punishes people who interfere with first responders with up to a year in jail, three years of probation, or a $1,000 fine.
But the county's 15-foot buffer goes a step farther, blocking anyone from even walking near an emergency worker — a distinction that riled critics, who said it could easily be abused.
'Floating buffer zones offer yet another way for police to keep their activities hidden from public scrutiny,' Justin Harrison, senior policy counsel at the NYCLU, told The Post. 'Laws that make it harder to monitor the police don't make anybody safer — in reality, they violate the Constitution, run counter to government transparency principles, and foster distrust in law enforcement.'
Harrison referenced other states that have passed, and then blocked, similar laws throughout the country.
Louisiana passed a law last year banning people from getting within 25 feet of police after being told to back up — but a federal judge blocked it last month, ruling it violated the 14th Amendment's due process regulations and could infringe on a reporter's First Amendment right to film officers and gather news.
Similar laws in Arizona and Indiana have also been struck down by federal judges.
'We expect that Nassau's law, if passed, will meet the same fate,' Harrison said.