@@sketch6995 you are right it won't change officers behavior just as of yet. But it did take away the officers ability to hide behind a shield of protection from personal liability. If an officer screws up to the point they get personally sued, then their own families will feel the pain when they have to pay out of their own pockets. As that happens more, officers will fall more in line for not wanting to violate individuals civil liberties.
I will never back ending qualified immunity. You do that, no one will want to do that job. They have to have some sort of protections. If not, it will be nothing but lawsuit after lawsuit over anything and everything.
@lethalpython the constitution protects you from the government it doesnt protect the government from you. If you want more freedom, dont be a politician
@lethalpython as in it belongs to the tax payers not the government. Public property does NOT mean government owned. The white house isnt even owned by the president its the PEOPLES house
EXACTLY! Notice that the mayor didn't repeat his foolishness while being criticized for his tyrannical behavior. I'd bet that the City Attorney told him how screwed he and the police department are. Public officials who ignore their seventh grade civics class need severe consequences.
The people shouldn’t have to vote them out for such an obviously egregious violation of constitutional rights. The only vote necessary should be the one that decides who to replace them with.
With this blanket document prohibiting criticism of public officials, it is no surprise this occurs at taxpayer expense. The Mayor must be fired the young woman be honored with an apology and save the city from crazy laws like this that invite fraud in the city government. Give the young woman a prize and a badge.
When the Police (or any government employee or elected official) break the law or conspire to take and or conceal information from We The PEOPLE, then there is no law, just a fight for survival.
I want to hear about criminal prosecutions, of the cop for one. The others might not have criminal liability, but the cop sure does. Cops need to be on notice that "I was just following orders" will not be tolerated.
Every person sitting on that panel and every cop in the room are guilty of conspiracy against rights and deprivation of rights under the color of law. When you include the kidnapping (unlawful arrest) these crimes are capital offenses.
The only problem is It is the taxpayers that pay out when this crap happens. With this blanket document prohibiting criticism of public officials, it is no surprise this occurs at taxpayer expense. The Mayor must be fired the young woman be honored with an apology and save the city from crazy laws like this that invite fraud in the city government. Give the young woman a prize and a badge.
Sue and sue BIG Sue the CITY and make them PAYYY.. it's the only way you will ever own your own home. Sue personally! You have constitutional rights that were violated, and they don't have immunity! Sue!
Awesome! No "official" should be able to "shut you up" just because they don't agree with or like what you have to say. She should be allowed her 3 minutes without interruption. That would have been the easy way. That jerk was doing nothing more than pushing his proverbial weight around.
When the Police (or any government employee or elected official) break the law or conspire to take and or conceal information from We The PEOPLE, then there is no law, just a fight for survival.
The taxpayers are going to pay her way more than the city attorney! Public comments can be about anything except threats. SO the mayor is knob! SO is the order follower who put hands on her! He should know better!
They need to sue on behalf of the daughter, too. He technically sent her out, too, when he said she could go with you. Sue the prick on behalf of your daughter as well.
FIRE does a good job of getting the policy changed, but it doesn't go any further. In the case of Jeff Gray they asked for a symbolic compensation of $1776, the year of the declaration of independence. I hope that in this case they don't limit themselves to a pat on the cheek, but strike hard, so as to send the message that it is better to change these unconstitutional policies "motu proprio" rather than incur a federal lawsuit
The fact that the mayor, all of the council members, the chief of police and the arresting officer are all still alive is proof that there is no justice in this country.
There are many videos on YT where a cop follows the mayor's, or school board president's, order to remove a citizen who is exercising their 1st amendment right. Only in one case, and specifying why, did the cop refuse to do so
It should really scare the residents when the people they hired to serve and protect actually act like we're in Zazi Germany. The office by his oath and by law should have arrested the Mayor who was committing the crime. This officer should have been fired immediately for publicly violating a citizens rights. If this is the kind of police force they have the I would urge the citizens to go armed.
I am surprised when I see something such as this and wonder why the solicitor or law firm that represents a city or town doesn't actually know what the law is regarding the first amendment. This could've been handled quite easily if the legal representation they have actually checked into the Constitution. In my opinion most of the people who are board members or supervisors basically are dumb as a tree stump, and that is why they're supposed to have good legal representation not the guy who finished bottom of his class. The first person that should be discharged from this political body should be the law firm or attorney that is supposed to be protecting them from a lawsuit.
Hurt feelings costing tax payers everywhere. These people should be recalled and everyone involved should loose their qualified immunity. Make people like this lose their homes, tax payers should not be responsible for their misuse of power.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Unfortunately, if the city loses the suit, whatever damages may be awarded, will come from the residents own pockets. Too bad these people can't be sued directly.
You should go watch the first amendment Auditors that audit Arizona and educate yourself on the actual facts. Arizona is ran by conservative Republicans but stay poorly educated traitor Trump love you sheep that way
Make sure you follow up with reporting when the city of Surprise pays for it by using the police department for revenue gathering, ratcheting up the road piracy to levels that will embarrass even the El Mirage PD.
