Jurisdiction Bill Signed Into Law! Police Can No Longer Cross Town Lines To Enforce Their Own Local Ordinances

A bill spurred by the interrogation of a former Major League Baseball player and ESPN analyst in Hartford last year, by a police officer out of his jurisdiction, was signed into law.

The law will bar police from questing people out of their jurisdiction for minor violations. The bill will not impede police officers from pursuing investigations, misdemeanors or felonies in other jurisdictions.

David McGuire, the Legislative and Policy Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut said, “This will strengthen the rules for police interactions with the community. It is our hope that it will lead to improved interactions between citizens and law enforcement. Every negative and unnecessary interaction with law enforcement undermines the community’s trust in police.”

The incident that inspired House Bill 6863 occurred as Doug Glanville—former outfielder for the Phillies, Rangers and Cubs and current ESPN analyst—was shoveling snow from the driveway of his Hartford home. A police officer from neighboring West Hartford responded to a call that an African-American man was soliciting shoveling jobs and questioned Glanville.

He wrote about the experience in an article in The Atlantic [this link will take you away from the ACLU of Connecticut's website].