On Wednesday we posted a story about a New Jersey sergeant who was suspended without pay from his job in internal affairs after a CD of his controversial comedy routine was sent to his station. We then posed this question:
Should this sergeant’s off-color, off-duty behavior be grounds for suspension and possible termination? Are his rights to free speech being violated? Or should officers be held to a higher standard--on-duty and off--when it comes to participating in activities that are very likely going to be considered offensive?
The response from readers was overwhelming. Let me put it this way- if we had asked you to snail mail your replies in I would have had to use a snow shovel to find our computers.
Below are a random selection or e-mailed responses from our readers.
Still fuming? Make your opinions known on the secured P1 forum
Keep them coming!
P1 News Editor Lindsay Gebhart
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Paul Harman, Bureau Chief Information Services Bureau Commission on POST; Retired LA Sheriff’s Lieutenant:
Personally I think peace officers have to be held to a higher standard both on and off the job. We each had to have squeaky clean backgrounds to get into the law enforcement profession because what we did as we grew up made the difference between becoming a police officer or being disqualified. It is all the more important to continually show the public that we value our integrity and the profession we serve in. To do less is to demean what we stand for. I believe it is in very poor taste to kid about rape, child molestation or abuse of any kind, because each of these are American tragedies we deal with every day. Our friends and family and many others in our community know we are cops and they expect us to obey the law when we are off duty as we expect them to when we are on duty. How would this sergeant explain to one of the rape victims parents that caught his act that it was just a joke. Some things are no laughing matter.
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Field Training Officer Joseph Fonteno of Redondo Beach (CA):
I don’t know about New Jersey, but in California, our Oath includes; “I will keep my personal life unsullied...
Anyone who has to resort to bestiality and sexual assaults on children, is NOT funny to me. There are plenty of issues to discuss that are very funny have nothing to do with sex, demeaning women and sex with children, let alone animals.
Here was have an alleged leader of police personnel and also works for the I-A department talking about pedophilia? Give me a break. I bet this supervisor hands out; “by the book” penalties for those violate departmental policies!!!!
Come on Sergeant Feder, you can do better than that.
I hope the Chief demotes you to; “Buck Private” from “Butt Pirate,” now that’s funny to me!
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Chief David L. Holloway with the Reeds Springs MO PD:
The second paragraph of the law enforcement officer’s code of ethics states “I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all and will behave in a manner that does not bring discredit to me or my agency.”
Sgt. Feder’s off-duty comedy act has obviously done exactly that. It is in direct conflict with the ideals of his department, and I would assume, his own personal standards.
Making light of traumatic events has always been an excuse for crude jokes, poor judgment and poor behavior by police officers/administrators that lack the professionalism or personal restraint to act in a manner befitting the position of public trust they hold.
After reading the article, it is apparent Sgt Feder has a problem with role confusion. This is not about first amendment rights to free speech, but rather the fact that Sgt Feder needs to make a choice, be a police officer and cognizant that his life is in a fish bowl on and off duty, or be a comic and speak as he wishes whenever he wishes!
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Deputy Doug Shackelford with the Oregon City (OR) SO:
I fully believe in the IA process as needed, but our departments seem to have gone way over board in their efforts to appease the public. Although I might not personally enjoy his act, I don’t see any way that it would be any business of the department. If he was promoting himself as a police officer and by word or conduct reflecting his connection with his department then there would be a problem they should handle. But if my department tried to sanction my free speech in sharing my faith in God off duty there would be a major problem. That actually happened to one of our guys already so it is not far fetched. My actions on duty or when representing myself as a Deputy Sheriff reflect poorly on the department, it is clearly their business.
But other than that, if it is not criminal, it is none of their business. I think his department needs to back off and understand their rightful place.
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Deputy Gavin Roselles with the Deer Lodge (MT) SO:
While I agree that we should be held to a higher standard, and this type of comedy may be deemed inappropriate, Feder was doing his act in a nightclub where patrons are fully aware that they will be exposed to this type of material. He should not have been suspended. I do find it interesting that he is with IA.
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Bailiff John Kakavulias with the Pahrump (NV) Justice Court:
I don’t understand why an off-duty officer is in trouble for doing stand-up comedy. Last time I checked, we didn’t sign away our rights when we put on the badge. It would be one thing if he was doing on illegal activity, but I went through the laws here and verified it, performing stand-up comedy is not an arrestable offense. Free speech is universal. If people are allowed to create “paints” of religious figures with feces and display them, the same principle applies to this sergeant. If you don’t like it, don’t go listen to it.
I wish people would stop attempting to crucify officers when they do something that any other person out there would get away with. How about we worry about the officers out there that run protection for drug smugglers or the ones that are sexual deviants on-duty.
If this officer has been doing his routine for 15 years, he’s obviously doing something right. Let him enjoy his success.
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Officer Daniel Burke with the Avon Park (FL) PD:
Is James Abbott so unsatisfied with being a chief of police that he has to appoint himself an entertainment critic or perhaps “minister of cultural affairs”? Who does he think he is? It sounds to me like he would be much happier as a third world military dictator. I hope Sgt Feder files a civil suit that puts Abbott into bankruptcy. Punishing a police officer for telling subjectively offensive jokes in a night club is just one more example of the administrative arrogance that has become almost epidemic in police departments across this country. I’m sure Sgt. Feder’s act is too vulgar for my taste, but nobody is forcing me to sit through it.
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Senior Sergeant Laurie Rucker with the Queensland Police Service (Australia):
This is total rubbish, fair enough if he told the audience that he was a serving Police Officer or advertisements of his show stated that fact.
Only for the CD and now the stories no one would have been the wiser.
He should be re-instated straight away.
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