Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Darn It: No More Swearing at Kenosha Cops?

"Swearing in front of your mother may have earned you a bar of soap, swearing in front of a Kenosha Police officer in the line of duty could cost you $118.

"The city’s Public Safety and Welfare Committee is backing an ordinance change that would allow Kenosha police officers and firefighters to issue citations if they hear profane, vile, filthy or obscene language while engaged in duty."

http://www.kenoshanews2.com/home/cuss_a_cop_get_a__ticket_6150225.html

But can you say "testicles"?

I thought disorderly conduct citations already covered this.

6 comments:

Huck Finn said...

Bullshit. These asshat politicians seem totally unable to fathom freedom of speech. It will end up costing the city major money once the ACLU comes around.

kkdither said...

It was my understanding after watching this on the news and listening to the explanation, it didn't cover someone overhearing swear words, but pertained to direct use against an officer.

The officer who was interviewed said this tool will help them to diffuse situations and keep them from escalating.

Just hearing someone use expletives is much different than being a direct target of them.

Huck Finn said...

It is still speech. This is still a law that inhibits speech. It falls into the category of flipping a cop off or calling him a pig. B0oth are unsavory, and both have gone before the supreme court. Both were struck down as this will be also.

SER said...

KK,

Your are right about the direct and indirect.

That same situation happened to me at work one day. I was a supervisor and someone was eves dropping on my conversation with one of my employees and I used some tinkle talk.

Well this person had enough nerve to walk up to me and tell me he doesn't have to hear that kind of language...trust me he lost.

Huck, do you know if I listen into your cell phone conversations or 'CB' talk with another person, by law I cannot repeat it or tell anyone else what I heard you say.

It's an FCC rule, check it out.

OrbsCorbs said...

I dunno. I'm for giving police the tools they need to get the job done. And I'm sure they take a lot more crap than they did when I was young. But like I said, I thought disorderly already covered it, and there's a heftier fine for that. Maybe the current generation requires a special "reminder" of the need to cooperate with authorities, especially in emergency situations.

racineuncovered said...

I see it as a double whammy. First time get told to knock it off, swear again, get that "swearing ticket" (by then you should be really pissed off and really swearing and by now stomping your feet) and viola you get the disorderly conduct :)