Police Apologize After Driver of Truck with Graphic Abortion Images Ordered to Leave Town

Life Site News ^

[Coleus]

OLATHE, Kansas, April 10, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Chief of Police Janet Thiessen of Olathe, Kansas, has issued a personal apology to Ronald Brock, who was ordered to leave town by Sgt. David Haldeman on Tuesday evening or face arrest. Brock was driving a vehicle with photographs of victims of abortion and victims of the Jewish Holocaust of World War II.

Haldeman has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident. Brock confirmed that he received a personal phone call from Chief Thiessen who apologized to him for the incident.   Operation Rescue President Troy Newman received an e-mail correspondence from Chief Thiessen who informed him that an apology had been made and that her officers would be receiving additional training so incidents like this would not happen again.

Sgt. Haldeman had told Brock in a conversation that Brock recorded that he must, "Leave our city, cover it [the signs] up, or be charged, and if you are charged we are probably going to impound the vehicle. So those are your three choices, but leaving this lot is not going isn't going to be sufficient in the city of Olathe."

Chief Thiessen told Newman, "I have personally expressed my regret to Mr. Brock, and apologized on behalf of the Olathe Police Department. At times, the line between what is protected free speech and what may be considered obscene can be difficult to distinguish, but it is my responsibility to ensure all Olathe officers clearly understand the law as it is written and correctly apply that law. Based on yesterday's incident, we have begun providing additional training to all sworn officers to help avoid future incidents of a similar nature."

"We very much appreciate that Chief Thiessen took immediate action to issue an apology and remedy the problem with her officers," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "Violations of the First Amendment are very serious, because it is one of the strongest protections for a free society. We look forward to returning to Olathe with our Truth Trucks and trust that we will be able to conduct our First Amendment activities without further impediment."

[fishhound]

Great Story.

[Eagles6]

BTTP

[Turret Gunner A20]

Keep you truck rolling, guys.

[ConservativeMind]

If we can have large trucks driving around in every major city with turds and vomit on their sides, why not allow this?

[Melas]

No sympathy. If I saw this obscenity torched I wouldn’t breathe a word. Disgusting driving this crap around where children can see it.

This is NOT how to win hearts and minds.

[dayglored]

> If we can have large trucks driving around in every major city with turds and vomit on their sides, why not allow this?

I've lived in the country for 30 years, but before that I lived in Philadelphia. I've never seen trucks with turds and vomit on their sides, in that city or elsewhere. Whatever are you talking about?? Or did you leave off the "/sarc" tag? I'm honestly baffled by your comment.

[dayglored]

> No sympathy. If I saw this obscenity torched I wouldn’t breathe a word. Disgusting driving this crap around where children can see it. This is NOT how to win hearts and minds.

I don't have any problem with them putting up pics like that in a private display, and I don't see anything illegal about the truck, but I gotta admit, they're pushing the First Amendment pretty far with this stuff. It's surely not winning any converts -- it's probably grossing out a lot more people than it's educating.

That said, yesterday I helped a dear friend deliver her second child, a healthy bouncing baby boy. She conceived out of wedlock, and contemplated abortion, but then had a major change of heart and mind, got married to the father, and they now have a family.

Her experience is an inspiration. I can't say the same about the pictures of dead babies parading down the street, protected speech or not. I'd rather argue against abortion with pictures of loving families.

[Melas]

The irony is that I’m absolutely certain that the so-called truth truck would be more effective if it drove around with the picture of that baby’s hand holding the doctors finger while still in utero.

[Mark]

I've seen knee operations on tv. They were gross, yet interesting. If an abortion is a legal medical practice, then why is it not shown? Ex-rays and all.

[stlnative]

No sympathy. If I saw this obscenity torched I wouldn’t breathe a word. Disgusting driving this crap around where children can see it.

This is NOT how to win hearts and minds.

I fully agree with you.

[JLS]

What happened in to or with the Georgia town that threatened them with arrest or something.

[mkjessup]

If we can have large trucks driving around in every major city with turds and vomit on their sides, why not allow this?
I've lived in the country for 30 years, but before that I lived in Philadelphia. I've never seen trucks with turds and vomit on their sides, in that city or elsewhere. Whatever are you talking about?? Or did you leave off the "/sarc" tag? I'm honestly baffled by your comment.

They were referring to the Hiliarly Clinton campaign bus. ;)

[mkjessup]

I've seen knee operations on tv. They were gross, yet interesting. If an abortion is a legal medical practice, then why is it not shown? Ex-rays and all.

I say include pictures of the current rays too!

[j/k FRiend, had to yank your chain just a little, lol]

[CurlyDave]

Actually an apology after-the-fact, and putting the officer on "Paid Leave", read extra vacation doesn't really cut it IMHO.

Whether I agree with the tactic or not, even the dumbest cop in the entire country has to know that this is protected free speech. At the very least, it should be unpaid leave, with the forfeited pay going to Mr. Brock as compensation for his inconvenience.

They may retrain the officer, but they can't increase his intelligence.

[budwiesest]

would be more effective if it drove around with the picture of that baby’s hand holding the doctors finger

Precisely. In marketing you sell the sizzle, not the burger.

These people are unwittingly selling a 'death' message when one of 'life' and the joy that surrounds it might get young women to think, "Dang, she looks so happy with that baby, I want to try it. I want to be happy just like her (the sizzle)."

[dayglored]

> The irony is that I’m absolutely certain that the so-called truth truck would be more effective if it drove around with the picture of that baby’s hand holding the doctors finger while still in utero.

Amen to that.

Although, if the photo you refer to is the one I recall seeing on FR a time or two, I think that one was revealed as a digital photoshopping job (likewise the one with a footprint poking out the side of a pregnant belly). Better IMO to use something provably real, even if somewhat less visually arresting. (Unless you've got a different pic in mind.)

Regardless, any picture of a baby in utero is an awesome image, plain and simple.

[WildcatClan]

I am mixed on this type of approach. On one hand society should know this is not the clean and neat removal of tissue, some would believe. On the other hand, the commercial with the seed, plants and babies was likely the most powerful anti-abortion message I have ever seen.

[dayglored]

>> ... turds and vomit...

> They were referring to the Hiliarly Clinton campaign bus. ;)

What an AWFUL and OFFENSIVE thing to say!!! I want you to apologize immediately to the turds and vomit!!