COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – The chief of police in Coeur d’Alene called the security company that dragged a heckler from a North Idaho town hall an “immediate danger to the safety of the public” when deciding to permanently revoke its license to operate.
The City of Coeur d’Alene took action against Lear Asset Management for actions it took during the Kootenai County Republic Central Committee’s town hall late last month.
During the event, a woman named Teresa Borrenpohl shouted at lawmakers several times.
Video shows Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris threatening to remove her, then motioning for several security guards to do so.
They dragged Borrenpohl from the event.
Several days later, the City of Coeur d’Alene said it was suspending the license of the security company the guards were working for.
A letter sent to Lear Asset Management, though, says the license is permanently revoked and that Lear was required to suspend operations immediately.
The letter says the company failed to comply with city code that requires “any security agent having knowledge of a crime committed within the corporate limits of the city to immediately notify the police department and stand by until regular police officers arrive.”
Even though several Coeur d’Alene Police officers were outside the event, the guards removed Borrenpohl without notifying them.
The letter also says the company violated the portion of the city code that requires agents to wear uniforms that clearly identify them as security. The code also requires that the uniforms be of a “design and color required by the police chief to be easily distinguishable from the uniform of the regular police department or sheriff department.”
The city says Lear Asset Management failed to do that and failed to comply with the part of the city code that requires the uniforms to be inspected by police every three years.
“Based on the circumstances of the incident, the Chief of Police has certified that there is an immediate danger to the safety of the public; therefore, pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5.32.100(D), there shall be no stay in this matter and the revocation of the license shall be in effect during the appeal and you must immediately cease all business operations until there is a decision rendered.”
4 News Now reached out to Lear Asset Management several times for comment and to ask if the company is appealing the revocation, but we have not heard back.
This is not the first time the city has clashed with Lear Asset Management over uniforms.
Emails obtained by 4 News Now through a public records request show Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White asked the city to revoke the company’s license last April because the company was not following the rules regarding uniforms.
The chief mentioned two other companies when he said, “I discussed with each of them my concerns regarding how closely their uniforms and/or vehicles resemble local law enforcement and the fact there have been instances of the public confusing them with peace officers.”
An email chain indicates the city attorney recommend the licenses be suspended at that time, not revoked.
Records provided by the City of Coeur d’Alene show Lear Asset Management was licensed with the city as recently as November 2024. Several people applied for security agent licenses with the city under the Lear Asset Management name as recently as two weeks before the town hall.
The morning after the controversial town hall incident, Chief White sent an email to city staff that said, “I need to determine if Lear asset management has a security company license with the city. If so, I need a list of all employees that we have licenses for. Is it possible to get this information first thing Monday morning?”
By Monday afternoon, the City of Coeur d’Alene had announced Lear Asset Management could no longer operate in the city.
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office previously said an outside agency is conducting an investigation into what happened. Sheriff Norris has not commented publicly since it happened, citing the advice of an attorney.
Coeur d’Alene Police initially cited Borrenpohl for biting one of the security guards that was detaining her, but has since dropped that citation.
The Idaho Republican Party issued a statement on the KCRCC town hall event. The full statement can be read below:
The Idaho GOP State Party stands firm in our belief that free speech is the bedrock of a free society, a right for all to be heard and not silenced by disruption. We uphold the rule of law as the guardian of this liberty, ensuring gatherings remain civil and productive. When one voice drowns out many, it’s not expression it’s a heckler’s veto, a tactic we reject outright. Order protects discourse; chaos erodes it.The February 22 legislative town hall event, attended by over 450 people, was intended to provide a venue where participants could engage with elected officials about the 2025 legislative session. Announced twice as a private event, it welcomed public attendance—until one attendee interrupted proceedings 7 times, shouting over elected officials. The Sheriff issued 5 clear orders to leave, which were refused. When security, directed by the Sheriff, intervened, the individual physically resisted, striking and injuring them.Newly released police bodycam footage and videos from the event provide a clearer picture of what transpired. These materials confirm that:Security personnel were professional and clearly identified.The actions taken were a response to aggressive and disruptive behavior, not passive dissent.The rights of the 450 attendees to participate in the event were disrupted by the actions of one individual.The IDGOP reaffirms its commitment to free speech as a foundational value but it does not extend to violence or the suppression of other’s voices. The Idaho Republican Party condemns the heckler’s veto as an assault on reason, not a defense of rights. Choices matter, and some have questioned the KCRCC’s actions without addressing the conduct that necessitated them—clarity requires both sides of the story.The KCRCC has carried this burden with resolve, and we stand with them. Evidence with bodycam and event footage shows the real story plain and simple. A strong majority, 76% of Americans, agree disruptors should be removed. We call on Idahoans to embrace these principles: free speech, upheld by law, for the good of all. Let’s move forward together.
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