Utah Cop Refuses Gay Parade Assignment Gets Put on Leave, Resigns

[-aiko-]

This isn't the most interesting story but it's exploding on my facebook right now.

SALT LAKE CITY – A Salt Lake City police officer has been placed on leave after refusing an assignment to work at a gay pride parade.

The officer was among about 30 officers assigned to provide traffic control and security for the annual Utah Pride Parade on Sunday in Salt Lake City, said department spokeswoman Lara Jones.

"We don't tolerate bias and bigotry in the department, and assignments are assignments ... To allow personal opinion to enter into whether an officer will take a post is not something that can be tolerated in a police department," Jones told KSL.

She declined comment on the officer's reason for refusing the assignment.

Utah Pride Center spokeswoman Deann Armes said her group is pleased with the department's stance and thinks officers should undergo sensitivity training before joining the force.

"Our goal is to make sure that police training and certification includes policies and oaths to ensure that all officers are committed to providing equal service and treatment of all citizens. Clearly, bigotry is alive and well," Armes said in a statement.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/c...-utah-24041933

The cop later resigned because of 'untenable work conditions'.

Ugh, well, so first let's not pretend that we don't know why a Utah cop refused to attend a gay pride parade. It does open up an 'interesting' question though. He refused an assignment, period, but should officers be allowed to refuse assignments in places that interfere with their religious or personal beliefs? Discuss...or don't. Not the most interesting subject like I said, but I'm bored so humor me!

P.S What the fuck is sensitivity training...? Listen, I don't really like flaunting it but I'm bisexual and think that is retarded. The spokeswoman sounds ridiculous. I've never attended a gay pride parade and probably won't as I think it sends the wrong kind of message entirely on what it means to love the same gender.

[arandomuser]

post deleted

[Wells]

Yeah fuck him, no loss.

[Fexus]

Person doesn't do his job. Person gets suspended and quits. That is the entirety of my opinion.

[Crissi]

Being against gays isnt a core tenant of Christianity, so no it shouldnt fall under religious exceptions to a secular job like police work. The guy was rightly fired for refusing to do work assigned to him that did not break the law.

[arandomuser]

so a cop was put on an assignment, refused to do his job, then gets put on leave and resigned? i dont see anything controversial any business if you tell someone to do a job they refuse they can quit or you fire them -simple as that.

[Deleted]

A cop does not get to pick and choose assignments.

[-aiko-]

so a cop was put on an assignment, refused to do his job, then gets put on leave and resigned? i dont see anything controversial any business if you tell someone to do a job they refuse they can quit or you fire them -simple as that.

Oh, you can spin anything to be controversial if you try. My facebook is evidence enough of that.

[Super Friendly Kitty Cat]

I don't see why they wouldn't have honored his religious beliefs. Was there anyone else they could have assigned to this "parade"?

[Wildtree]

Separation of Church and State...... Police officers are part of the executive branch and with that, nope... Not in the position of pick and choose.
As cop, he can apply and request certain assignments in writing. But certainly can they not refuse to do their job as cop..

He's a jerk. No loss there.

[Wells]

I don't see why they wouldn't have honored his religious beliefs.

Because refusing to do your job because you'll be around gay people isn't something police departments should deal with.

[Crissi]

I don't see why they wouldn't have honored his religious beliefs. Was there anyone else they could have assigned to this "parade"?

Unless its a core tennant, which this is not one of them, they don't have to honor it. Especially as it is a secular job. You cannot pick and choose your assignments based on controversial opinions within a belief system.

[Super Friendly Kitty Cat]

Because refusing to do your job because you'll be around gay people isn't something police departments should deal with.

It wasn't life or death though. It was an assignment in the future that could have easily be given to someone else.

[Fexus]

I don't see why they wouldn't have honored his religious beliefs. Was there anyone else they could have assigned to this "parade"?

If his religious beliefs prohibit him from using his authority to protect all citizens, he shouldn't be a police officer.

[Crissi]

It wasn't life or death though. It was an assignment in the future that could have easily be given to someone else.

and an employer has the right to fire you for refusing to do work assigned to you no matter how trivial it is. Unless a Union contract states otherwise

[Wells]

It wasn't life or death though. It was an assignment in the future that could have easily be given to someone else.

He refused orders. I see no reason that should be accommodated.

[crakerjack]

Portland is having its pride parade on the 15th. I've been thinking, what's the point of having these parades in states that already legalized gay marriage? I fully understand that they were to bring attention towards equality for all, but now that it's equal, what's the actual point? Here were my 2 solutions, either remove the pride parade or change it so that it's a generic pride parade. What I mean by that is make it so anyone can join for w/e they're proud of. Proud of your race, age, hobby, favorite sport... Proud to be w/e it is that makes you unique. That way more people can join in and IMO would likely unite more people. I flat out avoid the pride parade not only because it makes traffic horrible, but because I can't really relate to it. I'm all for LGBT movement, but joining in on a parade that has nothing to do w/ me feels like a waste of time. They should change it so that people can march the streets chanting what they're proud of.

[Fexus]

Portland is having its pride parade on the 15th. I've been thinking, what's the point of having these parades in states that already legalized gay marriage? I fully understand that they were to bring attention towards equality for all, but now that it's equal, what's the actual point? Here were my 2 solutions, either remove the pride parade or change it so that it's a generic pride parade. What I mean by that is make it so anyone can join for w/e they're proud of. Proud of your race, age, hobby, favorite sport... Proud to be w/e it is that makes you unique. That way more people can join in and IMO would likely unite more people. I flat out avoid the pride parade not only because it makes traffic horrible, but because I can't really relate to it. I'm all for LGBT movement, but joining in on a parade that has nothing to do w/ me feels like a waste of time. They should change it so that people can march the streets chanting what they're proud of.

Because even in states that have legalized gay marriage, homophobia is alive and well in large percentages of the population.

[Mirishka]

Person doesn't do his job. Person gets suspended and quits. That is the entirety of my opinion.

Beat me to it.

Oh, and the cop sounds like an idiot. Whether he agrees with their lifestyle or not, they are as entitled to the safety/security that a police presence affords as any straight parade. So yeah, sounds like a bigot and we don't need bigots as police officers IMO.

[Maxilian]

Person doesn't do his job. Person gets suspended and quits. That is the entirety of my opinion.

As simple as these really///