Post by tony1984 on Mar 6, 2009 10:55:16 GMT -5
Hello everyone,
I have recently posted a thread on another forum, specifically a Police forum asking the question "how do Christian cops handle an encounter with an open air preacher?" and here are a few responses...
Cop # 1-
"To answer your question, as long as they aren't causing a breach of the peace I let um do their thing. It does not matter to me what sect of Christianity they are, or if they choose to believe in someone other than Jesus. This is after all, a free country. LEOs don't discriminate against anyone. If a "Christian" or a "Muslim" are both going at it and creating a breech of the peace, they BOTH will be arrested. I could care less if its my own minister creating the trouble. Our job is to enforce the law, and by doing so we are unable to have our own beliefs and opinions influence our actions."
Cop # 2-
"Wrote him a misdemeanor ticket for loitering and put an extra buck in the basket on Sunday."
Cop # 3-
"Arrested him for disorderly conduct. There's ways to spread your respective faith without creating a public spectacle and causing a scene with a bullhorn. No problem with the message, just with the way it was delivered."
Cop # 4-
"It was never a big deal with me.
In my neck of the wood, preaching in public is usually not a violation of the law, so there is no need to even have contact with the person. If their activity posed a risk to public health or safety, such as causing a crowd to form in the street and block traffic or possibly be run over, pointing that out usually got them to move to a safer spot.
In my jurisdiction, gatherings on certain government facilities required an activity permit. In such cases I would inform them of that requirement and tell them how to get a permit.
FWIW, generally speaking, the law does not restrict the content of free speech. It does sometimes regulate the time, place and manner of speech, but only insofar as is necessary to protect public health, public safety, to prevent the disruption of government, to prevent the disruption of business, to protect the property rights of others and to prevent the right of free speech from being denied to others."
Cop # 5-
"Around here, these street preachers are very inflammatory. Calling people "whores", "fags", etc...Sometimes they have a permit, usually they don't. If not, they get arrested. Even if they do, it usually ends in an arrest due to their behavior."
Cop # 6-
"It is not an issue unless their conduct is disturbing the peace, obstructing normal traffic flow - pedestrian or vehicular - or becomes an unlawful assembly. I used to ignore them until I received a complaint. I would then make contact with them, advise them of the issues of concern and ask for their compliance. I have never encountered one who was not agreeable."
Cop # 7-
"They don't get a pass on the law because of their religious beliefs. You tell the person that they have to stay on the sidewalk, can't obstruct the flow of pedestrian traffic, can't use a bull horn, you need a permit, so here is how you get one, etc. There is not a morale or religious conflict here. If they are in violation, they are in violation. You do the job you are paid to do. What is unethical is to not do your job because of your religious beliefs."
Cop # 8-
"According to the Scriptures, we as Christians are expected to follow our leaders and obey all civil laws and rulings. Thus, the "street preacher," if he is in violation of some local ordinance, is not behaving as a good Christian and you should have no internal turmoil in removing him if need be.
Do your job and let God sort it out. No worries brother."
Cop # 9-
"Faith and beliefs have everything to do with the job. Church and state is a bit larger than the Joe Copper walking a beat.
Romans 13:4 I an't carrying this big azz stick for my health homey!!!"
Cop # 10-
"I, personally, have never known any officer who did not grow up with some basic teachinigs centered around religious beliefs. They may become non-advocates later in life, which is their choice, but they have the basic tenants of faith in the back regions of their minds when they perform their duties. That is why they know right from wrong."
Cop # 11-
"Why not just leave her / him alone? What harm is being caused? Is there a by-law that is being violated? Has a member of the public complained? Is this causing a crowd to form which is impeding the flow of traffic?
If some action has to be taken, could you not ask the preacher to move to an area where traffic flow would not be disrupted?
Do whatever it is that you have to do, but somehow this seems to be on the far side of the line of TO DO vs NOT NEEDED TO BE DONE"
So as you can see most of the responses are similar in nature. It seems that "Christian" Police place the Law of the land above their religion. Thats my personal opinion.
Note: A lot of negative feedback/Replies when posting anything "Jesus" on a police forum... even from so called "Christian" Police.
I have recently posted a thread on another forum, specifically a Police forum asking the question "how do Christian cops handle an encounter with an open air preacher?" and here are a few responses...
Cop # 1-
"To answer your question, as long as they aren't causing a breach of the peace I let um do their thing. It does not matter to me what sect of Christianity they are, or if they choose to believe in someone other than Jesus. This is after all, a free country. LEOs don't discriminate against anyone. If a "Christian" or a "Muslim" are both going at it and creating a breech of the peace, they BOTH will be arrested. I could care less if its my own minister creating the trouble. Our job is to enforce the law, and by doing so we are unable to have our own beliefs and opinions influence our actions."
Cop # 2-
"Wrote him a misdemeanor ticket for loitering and put an extra buck in the basket on Sunday."
Cop # 3-
"Arrested him for disorderly conduct. There's ways to spread your respective faith without creating a public spectacle and causing a scene with a bullhorn. No problem with the message, just with the way it was delivered."
Cop # 4-
"It was never a big deal with me.
In my neck of the wood, preaching in public is usually not a violation of the law, so there is no need to even have contact with the person. If their activity posed a risk to public health or safety, such as causing a crowd to form in the street and block traffic or possibly be run over, pointing that out usually got them to move to a safer spot.
In my jurisdiction, gatherings on certain government facilities required an activity permit. In such cases I would inform them of that requirement and tell them how to get a permit.
FWIW, generally speaking, the law does not restrict the content of free speech. It does sometimes regulate the time, place and manner of speech, but only insofar as is necessary to protect public health, public safety, to prevent the disruption of government, to prevent the disruption of business, to protect the property rights of others and to prevent the right of free speech from being denied to others."
Cop # 5-
"Around here, these street preachers are very inflammatory. Calling people "whores", "fags", etc...Sometimes they have a permit, usually they don't. If not, they get arrested. Even if they do, it usually ends in an arrest due to their behavior."
Cop # 6-
"It is not an issue unless their conduct is disturbing the peace, obstructing normal traffic flow - pedestrian or vehicular - or becomes an unlawful assembly. I used to ignore them until I received a complaint. I would then make contact with them, advise them of the issues of concern and ask for their compliance. I have never encountered one who was not agreeable."
Cop # 7-
"They don't get a pass on the law because of their religious beliefs. You tell the person that they have to stay on the sidewalk, can't obstruct the flow of pedestrian traffic, can't use a bull horn, you need a permit, so here is how you get one, etc. There is not a morale or religious conflict here. If they are in violation, they are in violation. You do the job you are paid to do. What is unethical is to not do your job because of your religious beliefs."
Cop # 8-
"According to the Scriptures, we as Christians are expected to follow our leaders and obey all civil laws and rulings. Thus, the "street preacher," if he is in violation of some local ordinance, is not behaving as a good Christian and you should have no internal turmoil in removing him if need be.
Do your job and let God sort it out. No worries brother."
Cop # 9-
"Faith and beliefs have everything to do with the job. Church and state is a bit larger than the Joe Copper walking a beat.
Romans 13:4 I an't carrying this big azz stick for my health homey!!!"
Cop # 10-
"I, personally, have never known any officer who did not grow up with some basic teachinigs centered around religious beliefs. They may become non-advocates later in life, which is their choice, but they have the basic tenants of faith in the back regions of their minds when they perform their duties. That is why they know right from wrong."
Cop # 11-
"Why not just leave her / him alone? What harm is being caused? Is there a by-law that is being violated? Has a member of the public complained? Is this causing a crowd to form which is impeding the flow of traffic?
If some action has to be taken, could you not ask the preacher to move to an area where traffic flow would not be disrupted?
Do whatever it is that you have to do, but somehow this seems to be on the far side of the line of TO DO vs NOT NEEDED TO BE DONE"
So as you can see most of the responses are similar in nature. It seems that "Christian" Police place the Law of the land above their religion. Thats my personal opinion.
Note: A lot of negative feedback/Replies when posting anything "Jesus" on a police forum... even from so called "Christian" Police.