KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — A video showing security dragging an Idaho woman out of a town hall meeting in Coeur D'Alene last month has gone viral, prompting actions from local authorities. The video's aftermath has led to the city revoking the security company's business license and police investigators recommending charges against the security personnel involved.
In February, Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl disrupted a legislative town hall hosted by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. The situation escalated when security officers, under the direction of off-duty Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris, forcibly removed Borrenpohl from the meeting.
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Borrenpohl repeatedly asked the men to identify themselves as they dragged her out. She is now suing over the incident, claiming her First Amendment rights were violated.
The security company at the heart of the controversy, Lear Asset Management, has lost its business license in Coeur d'Alene — the city cited staffers' failure to wear clearly labeled security uniforms, which violated local ordinances, as the reason for the revocation.
Additionally, police investigators are now recommending charges of battery and false imprisonment against several members of the security team involved in the incident. Investigators uncovered that the contract between Lear and the event organizers was never finalized, which constituted a violation of city code. This oversight has led to further scrutiny of the security company's operations and protocols during the incident.
In pursuing the investigation, police reached out to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office for any reports filed by Sheriff Norris regarding the town hall meeting, but they found none.
