A Louisville police officer who was disciplined for praying outside an abortion clinic nearly a year ago has received a $75,000 settlement from the city.
As The Free Press reported back in July, Officer Matthew Schrenger and his father joined a prayer gathering at the EMW Women’s Surgical Center on Feb. 20, 2021. The men were part of “40 Days for Life,” a Catholic prayer initiative that promotes the end of abortion.
Schrenger, a 13-year veteran of the department and a father of four, was off duty when he joined the abortion foes to pray the rosary. Yet he was reported by supporters of the clinic.
The next time he reported for duty, Shcrenger was pulled off patrol, placed on administrative leave with pay, and told he was being investigated.
He was reinstated to duty four months later.
In October, he sued.
Aided by the Thomas More Society, a conservative public interest law firm, Schrenger claimed his First Amendment rights were violated.
The More Society noted that the Louisville PD had not “taken disciplinary action against on-duty, uniformed officers who marched with Black Lives Matter protestors and in LBGT parades.”
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the case was settled in December. This past week, the city cut Schrenger his check.
“The treatment of Officer Schrenger was particularly galling considering other Louisville police officers previously had marched, while on-duty and in uniform, in political protests that apparently were approved by the police department,” said Matt Heffron, a senior counsel at the More Society.
Its willingness to settle “shows the city knows it committed a significant and inexcusable violation of a loyal officer’s constitutional rights,” he added.
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