Pastor Vs Cop Body Cam Footage

Police Encounter Over Amplified Sound and Identification

Did you warn him he can't use any amplified devices? What's that? Did you warn him he can't use any amplified devices?

No, I have just asked him for his name. He'll give me his jab. Oh, he didn't give you his name? No. So, he just kind of gave me a spill. That's as far as I've gotten. Okay, he refused to give you his name?

Yeah. Let's go talk to him real quick.

Soundbite! Hi, how are you? I got a soundbite for you. Okay. I'm Sergeant Liz Lenzen, Tempe PD. Hello. Hey, who's been using the megaphone? I have. Yeah, and what's your name? Jeff. Jeff, oh. Yeah, it's Pastor Jeff.

Pastor Jeff. Yes. I'm so supposed to know. Where are you pastor at? Apologia Church in Tempe. Okay, and what's your last name, Jeff? Do you need that for anything? Yes, we do, because we have a complaint that we're working.

That's why we're here. Okay. Otherwise, we would not be here.

No, I respect your position. I was just telling this officer over here, in order for me to identify myself, I have to be cited with a crime according to Arizona State law.

Well, we're going to give you a warning right now, so we're going to need that for our street check.

So, what's your last name? Okay, so the warning is a violation of the law?

Well, because of the amplified sound device, which...

Constitutional Rights and the Warning for Amplified Sound

Well, what I was saying to the officer was... Where's Zach? He's right over here. Zach. Where's the other Zach?

Zach number one. He's out of state right now. Okay, I mean, they know me, and Steven knows me. So, you're going to be given a warning you cannot use, and you know...

Officer, you can't do that unless you have a calibrated meter according to city code. Oh, we can. And you test it. Yeah, we can.

And so, you're going to get... You can violate this law? We have a complaint against a citizen.

A complaint of illegal activity. We have a complaint... Of illegal activity. Of disorderly conduct. Ma 'am, if you read the city code, you'll see... We're not arguing.

You've been given a warning. You can't use your amplified sound device. If you will, you go to jail. You've already been given that warning. Ma 'am, you're not even looking at the... You're a supervisor.

You won't look at the law? No, I know the law. We'll file a suit against you. Go ahead. Lenzin.

L-E-N-Z-I-N. Let's get that on the camera. Officer Lenzin. We got our cams going. Officer Lenzin, would you like to click the law? Look it. We'll do this. Lenzin. Is this professional activity on your part?

It is. To behave in this manner? You've got a warning. So please don't do it. We don't really want to have to arrest you. This is my question. What's the warning for? And you've been warned already. Officer, what's the warning for?

Amplified sound device. You can't use it. That's illegal activity. You can't use it. You won't look at this? Don't use it. Don't use it. It's illegal activity. We have a complaint... And we'll sue you for violating our constitutional rights.

You can sue us. You can. It's your right. It is your right. We're American citizens. I want to do this for the record of the court. She will not look at the city code. You got your warning. Thank you, guys.

You won't look at the city code? No. I already know it. Yeah. Ma 'am, I reject your warning. Okay. I reject it. We're going to document it. Thank you, sir. It's our constitutional right. And if you...

We will. Okay. And the city of Tempe. Okay. Thank you.

Documentation of the Encounter

Pastor Jeff. We have him on tape. Okay. Yes, I got it. I got it. Okay. So can you write that up? He's going to be probably in the first one. Let's go.