State senator wants to make doxing a law enforcement officer a felony crime

Protecting the people who protect us... a northwest missouri state senator wants to make it illegal to "dox" a law enforcement officer... kq2's bob cervera shares how this local lawmaker is taking action -- and how it affects officer's lives... <<(reporting bob cervera) there's an inherent risk police officers take when they sign up for the job...but there's a growing cyber threat likely no one saw coming that's posing a new danger.its called doxing.

(sot: state senator tony luetkemeyer/mo district 34: "it should not be a risk that they take on.") doxing is a form of cyberbullying that's been recently used to target police officers and their families across the country.officers become victims when someone finds their personal information like an address or social security number and post it online to encourage harassment.

(sot: brad kerns/fop lodge 3 president: "any time anyone's personal information is given out over social media or any, any kind of internet site it can be detrimental or dangerous to that person and their family.

Nobody wants anybody showing up at their front door step.") missouri state senator tony luetkemeyer feels the threat to law enforcement is real-- not only to officers but to their families.(sot: state senator tony luetkemeyer/mo district 34: "they're not signing up for people to show up at their private residence, and, and intimidate them and their spouse and the rest of their family.

That's nothing that our law enforcement officers sign up for.") luetkemeyer wants to make doxing a police officer a felony crime punishable by jail time...he's introduced legislation at the state capitol and this -- he says -- is why...(nats: protester: "we are going to start sharing things with your children's teachers.

You don't think that we have extensive researchers?

You don't think that we don't know where all y'all live?

You don't think we don't know where your children go to school?"))this is video from social media of a recent police protest in kansas city...luetkemeyer says the video caught his attention and that the protestor's action crossed a line...(sot: state senator tony luetkemeyer/mo district 34: i thought it was disgusting.

Police officers should not be worried about the whereabouts of the children's schools being publicly disclosed so that people go and harass members of their families.

That type of conduct should never be acceptable in our society, and people who want to do things like that to attack police officers and their families.

They need to be held accountable.")st.

Joseph police say doxing is not a tactic they've seen used frequently against their officers...but they say the threat isn't just limited to police...(sot: brendan mcginnis/ sjpd electronic crimes unit: "it's important to everybody, you know, you yourself wouldn't want your personal cell phone, your address put out on any social media.")police say there are proper ways to report officer misconduct...doxing isn't one of them...(sot: brendan mcginnis/ sjpd electronic crimes unit: "i would often tell people is it worth it?

Is it worth it?

To me it's not worth going to prison over trying to exact some sort of revenge against an officer or any other person in the community because that's going to be short-term and if you have a legitimate problem there's other processes that you can play out.")as lawmakers take steps to control the future of doxing... sen.

Luetkemeyer fears what could happen to the future of police departments if the cyber threat is left unchecked...(sot: state senator tony luetkemeyer/mo district 34: "my ultimate fear is that if we don't, you know, stand behind our law enforcement officers and make sure that they and their families feel safe and protected that it's going to be very difficult for police departments in the future to be able to recruit and retain good officers and that's not good for anybody.")bob cervera, kq2 news.

Luetkeymeyer's bill will start working its way through the state legislature when the lawmakers return for the general assembly on january 6th.