An Indiana State Police trooper charged with serving and protecting is under fire for concern over the soul of an Indiana woman he stopped for an alleged traffic violation.
Officer Brian Hamilton shared Jesus with Ellen Bogan after handing her a warning ticket, according to The Indianapolis Star. He reportedly asked her questions about her church life and if she knew Jesus as Savior. He also gave her a church pamphlet.
“It’s completely out of line and it just—it took me aback,” Bogan, 60, told The Indianapolis Star. “The whole time, his lights were on. I had no reason to believe I could just pull away at that point, even though I had my warning.”
Wouldn’t you know it? Bogan filed a federal lawsuit against the officer, and so did the American Civil Liberties Union.
Micah Clark, executive director of the American Family Association of Indiana, questioned whether a police officer should lose his right to free speech because he is wearing a badge.
“I have people pass out religious material all the time. Mormons come to my door all the time, and it doesn’t offend me,” Clark told The Star. “[A traffic stop] might not be the most persuasive time to talk to someone about their faith, but I don’t think that a police officer is prohibited from doing something like that.”
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