New laws to protect ACT police, firefighters and paramedics

ACT Police officers, firefighters and paramedics will be better protected on the job with the ACT Government committing to create a new offence for assaults against our first responders and new offences for driving at police and their vehicles.

We want to protect our first responders as they put themselves in harm’s way keeping our community safe.

Our police, firefighters and paramedics routinely attend emergency incidents and render assistance in volatile and dangerous situations where they are exposed to an increased risk of violence.

The ACT Government will develop a new bill that will be considered for introduction in the ACT Legislative Assembly later this year.

This new offence reflects the growing concerns of the frequency and severity of assaults against police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

A new specific offence would reflect the clear community expectation that these assaults are unacceptable, and is similar to reforms in other Australian jurisdictions.

The Government is also pursuing new offences against driving at police officers or their vehicles to send a clear signal that those who ram police will be held to account and face higher penalties.

The creation of new driving offences would recognise that this behaviour places police and the broader community at serious risk of injury or death.

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