The Fort Worth Police Department stated it will provide refresher training on First Amendment protections to officers and new recruits after a video of an encounter at Trinity Pride Fest sparked public debate. The incident occurred on June 27 and involved a citation issued to a street preacher.
A video recording of the exchange, originally shared on Instagram by @truefaithamerica and later on X by @libsoftiktok, shows a Fort Worth officer warning retired federal law enforcement officer Rich Penkoski that he could be cited for offensive speech. During the interaction, the officer told Penkoski she intended to issue a citation. When Penkoski questioned whether he would be ticketed for offensive speech, the officer confirmed she would, later describing the basis for the citation as disorderly conduct.
Penkoski, who stated he has 26 years of service, argued that the citation violated constitutional rights. The officer responded that federal jurisdiction differs from local authority and that the citation was based on complaints regarding offensive language. Penkoski acknowledged the clarification by saying, "Okay, fair," before the exchange continued.
Fort Worth police spokesman Buddy Calzada said the department reviewed the encounter and acknowledged the officer made certain statements that were not accurate. The department maintained that the ticket was originally issued to fellow preacher David Grisham because he used a bullhorn in violation of the city's noise ordinance, not because of the content of his speech.
Reactions to the video varied, with many commenters criticizing the officer's actions as viewpoint discrimination. One commenter described the incident as embarrassing and suggested the officer lacked basic training on rights. Another argued that offensive speech remains protected free speech and that the officer needed remedial training.
