A New Jersey lawmaker is sponsoring legislation to crack down on anyone who threatens to kill a police officer.

(David Lentz, ThinkStock)
(David Lentz, ThinkStock)
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The measure, sponsored by Assemblyman Ron Dancer (R-Cream Ridge) would extend the definition of making a terroristic threat to threatening a cop in this manner.

"This would upgrade the crime from a present day third degree crime to a second degree crime," Dancer said. "That means right now it's a $15,000 fine if convicted, but as a second degree crime they will do five to 10 years and (pay) a $150,000 fine."

Dancer said over the past few weeks we've had police officers that have been threatened, ambushed and assassinated from New York to Paris and we're now also hearing terroristic chants.

"Chants like 'What do we want? Dead cops. When do we want them? Now,' this needs to stop now," Dancer said. "The legislature needs to get serious and support our law enforcement community and enact legislation that will put them in jail."

The assemblyman said "the people making these threats have freedom of speech and expression, but not at the expense of the lives of our law enforcement officers. We must take this seriously.'

Dancer said he first began to work on the legislation after threats were made against police in Jersey City, allegedly by gang members.

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