Florida's Joe Arpaio, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, is reportedly doing sermons.
One he's fond of delivering, according to Fox 13, is titled "Wouldn't the world be better if everyone behaved like a Christian?" (To which we ask, which ones? The kind, nonjudgmental ones or the ones that fear and judge everything and want everyone else to also fear and judge everything?)
Expressing one's views is perfectly fine and legal regardless of whether you're a public official, of course. It may not always be advisable, but it's legal.
But Judd wants to wear his uniform while doing so. Which isn't cool.
After all, his sworn duty is to protect and uphold the Constitution, which in its First Amendment clearly says trying to establish a state religion is a no-no.
His insistence on donning his uniform has caught the eye of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based civil rights group. That group has said it is considering suing the sheriff if he doesn't back down.
"We don't have any problem with him preaching in church. We don't have any problem with him teaching Sunday School. What he is not allowed to do is use a public office and title and uniform to promote his personal religion." Andrew Seidel, the foundation's attorney, told Fox 13.
Judd has yet to heed the group's warnings, though, and says he'll sport his uniform regardless.
This isn't the first time Judd is in the spotlight for letting his personal views take over.
In December 2010, he removed the basketball hoops from a jail and donated them to a church because "going to jail is not fun and games."
He's also known for admitting that he thinks in black and white and is kind of for a "kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out" approach to suspect pursuits.
This article appears in Jun 11-17, 2015.