The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is evaluating whether to initiate a civil rights investigation into the Fort Worth Police Department following videos that suggest officers may have restricted the speech of Christian street preachers based on its content. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Harmeet Dhillon, sent a letter to Fort Worth City Attorney Leann D. Guzman requesting information to assist in this determination. The letter emphasized the importance of protecting all Americans from unlawful restrictions on expressive activity, regardless of the content of their speech.
The Fort Worth Police Department acknowledged that an officer made inaccurate statements during an encounter with a Christian street preacher at a Pride festival last month. The department maintained that the citation issued was due to alleged violations of the city's noise ordinance rather than the content of the preacher's speech. The incident occurred on June 27 at Trinity Pride Fest, where complaints about amplified sound were made by nearby business owners.
Rich Penkoski, the street preacher involved, stated that a police officer suggested calling a biological male a 'sir' could be a 'gray area' for potential citations. The officer also indicated that speech deemed 'offensive' could lead to disorderly conduct charges. Fort Worth Police Chief Eddie Garcia acknowledged the need for better communication regarding lawful speech and mentioned that the department is undergoing training related to First Amendment rights.
The DOJ has requested records from the city to assess whether further action is necessary, including the police department's First Amendment policies and any citizen complaints regarding protected speech since 2015. Dhillon reiterated the DOJ's commitment to protecting constitutional rights and expressed anticipation for the city's cooperation in this matter.