Officer makes obscene gesture at pro-immigrant protesters

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Jim Walsh

The Arizona Republic

Mesa police plan to discipline an officer who admitted making an obscene gesture as he drove past pro-immigrant protesters Wednesday in a marked police vehicle.

Sgt. Mike Doherty, a 20-year veteran, admitted he made obscene gestures "due to his general distaste for protesters," according to Holly Hosac, a Mesa police spokeswoman.

Doherty was in uniform when he passed about 30 members of Immigrants Without Borders, an immigrant advocacy group that has protested in the past against crackdowns on undocumented immigrants by Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

The group was protesting peacefully at Alma School Road and Main Street. Several group members reported an officer displaying an obscene gesture twice as he drove past them. Information from witnesses led police to identify Doherty.

"While Doherty stated that he did not know what the demonstration was about, he acknowledged his actions were inappropriate and unprofessional," Hosac wrote in a press release.

Police Chief George Gascón said the department is required to respect the Constitutional rights of everyone, saying, "there is no justifiable reason for this type of behavior."

Police said disciplinary action against Doherty is pending but did not elaborate. He was working as a school resources officer for the past two weeks, but will be reassigned, police said.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/ar...ene0906-on.html

[almaty 19]

Police Chief George Gascón said the department is required to respect the Constitutional rights of everyone, saying, "there is no justifiable reason for this type of behavior."

enuff said..................

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Sgt. Mike Doherty, a 20-year veteran, admitted he made obscene gestures "due to his general distaste for protesters," according to Holly Hosac, a Mesa police spokeswoman.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/ar...ene0906-on.html

how can one have a 'general distaste for protestors' ???

people like this make me nauseous...this means that no matter what were to happen in the world, in government, in the judicial system, this guy would just simply sit down and let it happen...

maybe he would become a protestor if they outlawed dunkin donuts

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Police Chief George Gascón said the department is required to respect the Constitutional rights of everyone, saying, "there is no justifiable reason for this type of behavior."

enuff said..................

Agreed. However, it must be very hard to simply watch this type of demonstration. Do those protesters even know that their own security and lifestyles depend on strict immigration policies?? Or do they just feel everyone has a right to be here when and how they wish? Maybe they are the ones who should be moving to another country. We all can do it the legal way. I really hate people who look for illegal shortcuts in any fashion.

[Jenn! 918]

Oh, come on...obscene gestures are ALWAYS funny and appropriate.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Oh, come on...obscene gestures are ALWAYS funny and appropriate.

LOL

[peejay 327]

Pro-immigrant protesters? How about the illegal alien cheerleading squad? That's closer to the truth.

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

i wonder if the aclu will defend him

[mawilson 2,133]

Isn't making an obscene gesture his Constitutional right (i.e. freedom of expression)?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Isn't making an obscene gesture his Constitutional right (i.e. freedom of expression)?

...as a representative of the law?

[mawilson 2,133]

Isn't making an obscene gesture his Constitutional right (i.e. freedom of expression)?

...as a representative of the law?

He didn't interact with them as a representative of the law though, just drove past them.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Isn't making an obscene gesture his Constitutional right (i.e. freedom of expression)?

Yes - and noone stopped him from doing that, he's just being disciplined for doing it while representing his employer.

Not much different than if a store worker chooses to insult a customer they don't like - except in their case they can expect to be fired for it.

Isn't making an obscene gesture his Constitutional right (i.e. freedom of expression)?

...as a representative of the law?

He didn't interact with them as a representative of the law though, just drove past them.

In a marked car. Part of the uniform surely?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Isn't making an obscene gesture his Constitutional right (i.e. freedom of expression)?

...as a representative of the law?

He didn't interact with them as a representative of the law though, just drove past them.

He was driving his patrol car. If you worked at a place like UPS, and were wearing your uniform after work when you decided to flip the bird at someone, you'd be fired.

[mawilson 2,133]

Isn't making an obscene gesture his Constitutional right (i.e. freedom of expression)?

Yes - and noone stopped him from doing that, he's just being disciplined for doing it while representing his employer.

Not much different than if a store worker chooses to insult a customer they don't like - except in their case they can expect to be fired for it.

Agreed.

[Mel_and_Daniel 1]

Isn't making an obscene gesture his Constitutional right (i.e. freedom of expression)?

The question is whether this expression was done in his private or official capacity...