Denver Police officer under investigation for reported threat over bumper sticker

Denver NBC 9 News | 1/26/2005 | Paul Johnson

[Glacier Honey]

DENVER - A Denver police sergeant is under investigation for reportedly telling a young woman he'd arrest her if she didn't remove a bumper sticker that had a profanity directed at President Bush.

Shasta Bates, 26, says Denver Police Sgt. Michael Karasek approached her in a Denver shopping mall Monday and said that a bumper sticker on her truck, which includes the F-word and the surname of our president, had to be removed. While the message may be offensive to some, it's not illegal.

"He said that I needed to remove my stickers before I left, and that if I didn't and I showed up here again, and he saw me, he was going to arrest me," said Bates.

"He said my First Amendment (right) wasn't covered under profanity displayed on my truck," said Bates.

But Denver's city attorney has said he's never heard of the law that the sergeant was reportedly enforcing. So far, the Denver Police Department is only confirming that an investigation is underway.

[digger48]

Sadder still, that people like Michael Newdow can go out of their way to be "offended" and make it to the Supreme Court

[ChevyZ28]

You are correct. I continue to be amazed at what is considered offensive and not protected by the Constitution, and what is considered protected by the Constitution as not offensive.

[Dead Corpse]

Denver may be a "home rule" city, but this only applies to State issues. If you want to be part of America, then Americans living within your borders are guarenteed a certain number of protected Rights. Those Freedoms are pretty much what DEFINE us as Americans.

Denver City council doesn't see it that way of course. It'd diminish their power. They prefer to be their own little fiefdom or duchy, and thumb their noses at the little people.

Oddly enough, the same kind of argument applies to our Federal Courts and even those in our Nations Congress....

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Were the cops that died at the world trade center on September 11th, 2001 those who've been caught in their lies or those who have yet to be caught? How about all the other cops across our nation who had made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the public? Are they officers who've been caught in their lies or those who yet to be caught? The next time you need help from a police officer why don't you instead call the woman in the car that has the F*** Bush bumper sticker.

LOL! Methinks thou dost protest too much.

[beezdotcom]

How many kids are gonna get 'soap..........poisoning' for innocently reading the word aloud when they see it in a parking lot?

Oh, you just reminded me of my evil childhood. I was an early reader, and I had also picked up on 'cuss' words (thanks to some older cousins) - though I didn't know their meaning, by age 4 I knew how to spell them, and I knew you'd get in trouble for saying them.

So when my friend across the street would come over to play, I would take out my little magnetic letter board on the pretense of teaching him to read. Then I would spell curse words on the board, get him to sound out the letters, and when he finally said it aloud, I'd quickly scramble the letters before my mom would come hurtling into the room to scold him for cussing.

[1Old Pro]

Turns out she has another bumper sticker reading "I might be dating your daughter".

UGH, what a dyke.

[BigCinBigD]

"Shasta" Bates.

Well we know what her mom was drinking in the recovery room.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

What you said applies to every person, not just cops. Cops are people also, and are subject to the same failings and weaknesses as private citizens. This a fact NO ONE can deny.

Yup. The difference is that your lies send people to jail.

[evets]

Male lesbians for bush!

[beezdotcom]

Yup. The difference is that your lies send people to jail.

Not just THEIR lies. Ever hear of filing false charges? Don't need to be a cop to do that...

[ijcr]

Remember when Timothy Boomer tumbled out of his canoe on the Rifle River,Michigan in 2002, he was ticketed for violating a law passed back in 1897. The law prohibits foul language in front of children.

Boomer was convicted of a misdemeanor.

[Dead Corpse]

[Squantos]

Is she just one more apolitical lesbian or was this anti GW ?

[evets]

BUSH LOVER!!!

[bvw]

Maybe, but maybe a dicey US Supreme Court precendent, might not stand if future cases brought to that level. Why? Safety issue -- when a sticker is shown to prmpt a deadly road rage incident the courts will take note and allow greater police control over expressions during the course of driving on the public thorofare.

[ChevyZ28]

Private citizens lies have been well known to send people to jail as well.

[ChevyZ28]

For the record, I want to say I have not lied, nor will I lie to gain a conviction. My credibility and integrity means way to much to me.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

For the record, I want to say I have not lied, nor will I lie to gain a conviction. My credibility and integrity means way to much to me.

And I believe you.

[conservativebabe]

>Denver and Boulder are far far left kookburgers.....but for the most part the rest of the state is normally sane!!!!<

I live just North of Boulder, just moved here from IL in July. You are not kidding when you say "kookburgers". Walking around in Boulder is like living in the twilight zone. My husband took a job in Boulder, but as soon as we are able, we are outta here.

[OldFriend]

My conservative twenty something daughter lives in downtown Denver.

When she goes to Boulder she is enraged at the crazies walking around with their signs against America.

We are hoping to retired to CO but Boulder is not on our list of places to live.....LOL......but I do love Pearl St.