TEXAS: Dallas Cops In Chikin Flap

A Dallas police sergeant has been reassigned to the city jail after two lesbian police officers complained that he'd made homophobic comments on last week's Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day.

All sides agree that [Sgt. Mark] Johnson brought a Chick-fil-A bag to work, and that there was some discussion about the restaurant chain. The content of that discussion is disputed. The two female officers told supervisors that Johnson set a Chick-fil-A bag in front of them and said something about having eaten at the restaurant that day. The officers told supervisors that they felt Johnson was trying to send them a message. [Police spokesman Ron] Pinkston said Johnson told him the women approached him and he denies putting the bag in front of them.

On that particular day, [Assistant Chief Michael] Genovesi had sent out an announcement that was to be read at all of the detail meetings regarding the “Kiss Mor Chiks,” protest that was to occur two days later. That protest involved people showing up to Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kissing each other. The announcement, which Johnson read, reminded officers to stay out of the fray and only act if there was a need to protect public safety or to enforce criminal trespass laws. The two female officers, already offended by the conversation prior to the detail, left the the detail meeting early. They told supervisors that he was looking at them as he read the announcement.

An internal affairs investigation is underway.