Pro-Life Cop Sues Dem Mayor for Violating Religious Freedom

A Louisville police officer sued the city's Democratic mayor for violating his First Amendment rights when he was suspended for praying outside an abortion clinic while off-duty. 

The Louisville police department investigated Officer Matthew Schrenger for more than four months this year over his alleged violation of a policy that prohibits police from participating in political demonstrations. The department dropped the investigation and reinstated him after it admitted the policy was not enforced fairly. Last week, Schrenger filed a lawsuit against the department, its police chief, and Mayor Greg Fischer, who he claims violated his right to religious expression in pursuit of the investigation. The city investigated Schrenger months after local Planned Parenthood Action and Black Lives Matter chapters called on Fischer to resign in response to concerns over police brutality.

Schrenger, a 13-year veteran of the department, prayed outside the EMW Women's Surgical Center at roughly 6:00 a.m. on Feb. 20 while he wore a jacket over his police uniform. Pro-choice volunteers at the clinic noticed Schrenger leave in a police car and took photos of him. Schrenger, a father of four, was locked out of his computer and suspended later that day after the department found out he prayed outside the clinic, according to the lawsuit. He was reinstated on June 29.