Rhode Island bill would punish trying to disarm officers

In Rhode Island, lawmakers want to draw a hard line around a split-second confrontation that can turn deadly: trying to take away the weapon or radio an officer is relying on in the moment. The proposal would add a new chapter to Title 11, the state’s criminal-offenses code, and make it a felony to knowingly remove or try to remove those tools from a peace officer or an investigator appointed by the attorney general.

What counts as disarming

The bill spells out three kinds of weapons: a firearm, a deadly weapon and a less-lethal weapon. That last category is broad enough to include blunt-impact, chemical and conducted-energy devices.

It also reaches mobile communication devices and radios used in official duty. In plain terms, trying to grab the thing that lets an officer call for help could trigger the same felony charge as going after the weapon itself.

The punishment on top

A person convicted under the proposal would face up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both. That makes the new offense a serious add-on in an already dangerous encounter.

The act would take effect upon passage. For officers and investigators, the practical effect is a clearer legal penalty for one specific move: trying to leave them without the tools they need to defend themselves and stay in contact.