A picture of a black BMW with a Virginia license plate and a plausibly homemade white bumper sticker is stirring up controversy, and for good reason.
The bumper sticker on the vehicle plainly reads, “Shoot A Cop,” in bold, capitalized letters.
Concerned locals contacted NBC12 about the image to ask whether it was a serious threat.
NBC12 legal analyst Steve Benjamin said that, while disturbing, the bumper sticker's message is protected by the driver’s First Amendment rights.
“As obnoxious and stupid and potentially dangerous as that might be,” he said, “that’s the expression of a message, and that’s protected by the First Amendment.”
"The police cannot detain a person for the legal exercise of their First Amendment right to free speech. But you are inviting that kind of attention when you drive around with something that inflammatory," Benjamin added.
Kevin Carroll with the Virginia Fraternal Order of Police told the station that endorsing a hateful message like that is "dangerous for the officers."
“It’s absolutely very dangerous," he said. "It’s dangerous for the officers.”
He discussed how promoting that kind of speech makes it more difficult for police departments to recruit and retain good people.
"We already have enough trouble as it is recruiting good recruits and retaining people," he said. "This just makes it harder."
“Officers make mistakes,” said Carroll. “I understand that."
"But I did not know that it now has become fashionable to hate the police.”
For more, check out the NBC12 news report below.