In this file photo from Feb. 2, 2016, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt answers questions at the Statehouse in Topeka. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

To Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt a crime committed against a law enforcement officer is more than an offense against an individual, his office said in a news release.

On Wednesday Schmidt requested the introduction of the Law Enforcement Protection Act to make penalties more severe for crimes targeting officers.

“They are also an offense against the legitimate authority to enforce law and order in our communities,” the release said.

Currently, crimes including assault, battery or first-degree premeditated murder already have more significant penalties when they target officers, the release said. However, the newly introduced bill “would provide a broad rule that any crime targeting an officer is subject to enhanced penalties.”

If enacted, the bill would increase the punishment for a crime when prosecutors prove that officers were targeted because they were on duty or because of their status as law enforcement officers, the release said.