To: Honorable Allen Gilbert, Presiding Judge, Honorable Jay Daniel, Associate Judge, Tim R. Vasquez, Chief of Police, Robert Martinez, Assistant Chief of Police / Field Operations, and Linda Gossett, Court Administrator
Dismiss Citations for Honking on Pecos Street
We, the undersigned, respectfully request that the citations for excessive use of horn, and other like citations, given to motorists on or after March 24, 2012 on or around the 1900 block of Pecos Street be dismissed with no penalty to the motorists that were cited. Law Enforcement Officers, while in the performance of their duties, issued citations to motorists for using their horns as a sign of expression for either side of a public demonstration that has been on-going in front of the Planned Parenthood on Pecos Street.
As of the date of the creation of this petition, the signs that had previously solicited honks from motorists have been removed, but motorists have continued to honk as a personal expression. Citing these motorists before issuing warnings destroys the good faith and credit that the people of San Angelo have in the San Angelo Police Department and the Honorable Judges that preside over the Municipal Court. Citing these individuals also escalates an already contentious demonstration unnecessarily.
We respectfully request the prompt dismissal of all citations already issued along with the refund of any amounts paid by the individuals who were cited. We additionally respectfully request that the honorable men and women of the San Angelo Police Department issue warnings to those motorists who choose to express themselves in this way for a period of time before choosing to cite individuals for transgressing this little-known ordinance.
As of the date of the creation of this petition, the signs that had previously solicited honks from motorists have been removed, but motorists have continued to honk as a personal expression. Citing these motorists before issuing warnings destroys the good faith and credit that the people of San Angelo have in the San Angelo Police Department and the Honorable Judges that preside over the Municipal Court. Citing these individuals also escalates an already contentious demonstration unnecessarily.
We respectfully request the prompt dismissal of all citations already issued along with the refund of any amounts paid by the individuals who were cited. We additionally respectfully request that the honorable men and women of the San Angelo Police Department issue warnings to those motorists who choose to express themselves in this way for a period of time before choosing to cite individuals for transgressing this little-known ordinance.
Why is this important?
On March 24, 2012 the San Angelo Police Department began issuing citations to motorists who used the horn as a sign of support for or disapproval of Planned Parenthood. This petition urges the honorable judges of the San Angelo Municipal Court to dismiss all citations for "non-emergent or excessive use of horn" (or like citations) on or after this date. Dismissal of these citations is a gesture of goodwill toward the motorists that did nothing but express themselves in a way that is inconsistent with a little-known local law.