STOP: Major Co. Sheriff's Office reminds citizens of new law coming within 25 feet of law enforcement

FAIRVIEW, Okla. (KFOR) - The Major County Sheriff's Office is reminding citizens that starting today it's now illegal to knowingly come within 25 feet of a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, probation or parole officer, or EMS after being told not to if your intent is to interfere with, threaten, or harass them while they’re performing their duties.

The new Oklahoma law addresses interfering with first responders engaged in lawful performance of duties.

Here is a breakdown of how the law reads as follows:

A. As used in this section:

1. "First responder" shall include a peace officer as defined in Section 99 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, a correctional or probation and parole officer, and an emergency medical technician or emergency medical care provider; and
2. "Harass" means to willfully engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder which intentionally distracts the first responder from performing his or her official duties and serves no legitimate purpose.
   B. It shall be unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from a person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within twenty-five (25) feet of the first responder with the intent to:
3. Impede or interfere with the ability of the first responder to perform such duty; Threaten the first responder with physical harm; or Harass the first responder.
   C. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year, or by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

The Sheriff's Office also included, firemen are not included in this law due to one already existing for them and it’s a felony to interfere with them.