Annoying a police officer set to become a crime in New York county

The act of annoying a police officer could become a crime in a New York county.

Under a proposal approved by the Monroe County Legislature, anyone who annoys, alarms or threatens the personal safety of an officer could face up to a year in jail and up to a $5,000 (£3,891) fine.

The measure was passed 17-10 on Tuesday and will also apply to first responders.

The county executive will now hold a public hearing and decide whether to pass it into law.

However, civil rights groups have warned the bill could have a chilling effect on interactions between the police and the public.

“Members of the community have every right to challenge police officers, particularly those that engage in unnecessary behaviour,” Iman Abid, a spokesperson for the New York Civil Liberties Union, told the Associated Press.

“At a time when more accountability of police departments is needed, this law takes us incredibly backward.”

A news release about the legislation mentioned people throwing water over uniformed NYPD officers.

Delores Jones-Brown, a professor at the John Lay College of Criminal Justice, said the statue was overbroad and unconstitutionally vague.

She warned officers could be “annoyed” by a person who asks for their badge number or records their actions on a phone.