Police officers are respected members of the Fredericksburg community. They serve as the community’s leaders and protectors, which is why assaulting a law officer is a serious offense in Fredericksburg. Assault on an officer charges represent an assault on law enforcement in general and so, the prosecution is accordingly aggressive.
As a result, defendants and their interests are best served by a capable assault lawyer with extensive experience in this area of the law as well as the local jurisdiction. If you are facing charges, it is important to contact a Fredericksburg assault on an officer lawyer as soon as possible in order to build your defense.
An assault on an officer is the unwanted touching of an individual with the intent to do them harm and with the requisite knowledge that the person is, in fact, an officer. In other words, the individual making the allegation needs to have been a police officer in the commission of their duties, and the accused has to have been aware of the fact that the other person was a police officer.
When it comes to who is considered to be an officer and is therefore protected by the law, it is a list of people but mainly a police officer at every level: federal, state, and local police. In addition, the title can refer to other public servants, such as:
It is essentially anybody who would report to a crime scene in a professional capacity.
There are some common reoccurring scenarios when it comes to assault on an officer charges. Most of the time the charges arise when somebody is drunk and allegedly attacks an officer. Normally they are just trying to get away, resisting arrest, and have contact with the officer, but that can be classified as an assault even if it is merely just resisting.
In other circumstances, it could also be if they get drunk and maybe spit on an officer. Sometimes, Fredericksburg assault on an officer occurs when the officers are effectuating an arrest and not necessarily of a drunk person, but when they are serving warrants and people try to get away, so they trip the officer or push the officer.
Every now and again, there may be an intoxicated individual slapping at an officer and that is just them not thinking. Most of the time it is drunk people being drunk or people trying to get away from the police.
Sometimes the alleged assault will take place in hospitals where there are people who are working in mental institutions or when somebody is having a mental breakdown and something has happened where they are clearly not in their right mind.
Perhaps while they are being transported from a central state hospital or some mental institution, they may lash out at the people who are around them, those being the nurses or EMTs, and then they will get charged with assault on a law enforcement officer.
Fredericksburg law enforcement takes assault on an officer charges very seriously. This is important to keep in mind when charged with the offense because although the action itself may have been minor, the context elevates it to a crime with much more serious consequences. The prosecution and the courts all seek to discourage disrespect towards law enforcement.
While oftentimes the charge is referring to a minor action, sometimes the alleged behavior is more serious. Sometimes, there is a line that gets crossed where a person is assaulting or attempting to beat up a police officer. However, generally speaking, assault on an officer is an offense that normally gets overcharged.
These kinds of charges are taken very seriously, both by law enforcement agencies and the courts. It takes a lot of negotiating and a lot of fighting to get the charge dismissed. It is not always possible, but the greatest likelihood of achieving this, or other desired outcomes, is more likely if you hire a qualified attorney. A Fredericksburg assault on an officer lawyer will be well equipped to guide and advise you through every step of the process.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
