Fort Worth Police Officer Sarah Stogner is under fire after viral videos showed her twice cracking down on Christian street preachers, most recently telling a retired federal officer and evangelists they could be cited if their Bible-based messages offended anyone on public sidewalks, and last year at Trinity Pride Fest where she blocked Christians from the area and warned of arrests for “offensive speech.”
Preachers Rich Penkoski and David Grisham Targeted in Back-to-Back Incidents: In the June 27 clash, Stogner, badge 3531, responded to noise complaints, declared that even using “sir” for a biological male could be offensive, seized Grisham’s bullhorn after he kept preaching, and ticketed him for unreasonable noise; older footage reveals the same officer stopping Christians from attending the all-ages Pride event and threatening similar penalties, raising alarms over selective enforcement against faith-based speech.
Department Orders Training but Faces Lawsuit Threats and Fury Over First Amendment: Fort Worth PD admitted Stogner’s “offensive speech” warnings were inaccurate, rolled out mandatory constitutional training for all officers, yet the preachers are gearing up to sue the city, with outraged conservatives blasting the cop’s actions as blatant viewpoint discrimination and demanding she be fired to stop what many call an alarming slide toward policing thoughts in the Lone Star State.
