COEUR D’ALENE, ID — The Coeur d’Alene Police Chief is recommending that the Prosecutor’s Office drop a battery charge against Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl.
Dr. Borrenpohl was forcibly removed Saturday from a public town hall hosted by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) after “being disruptive.”
You can watch a video of the incident here. WARNING graphic language.
Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris was in attendance of the event and was witnessed recording Borrenpohl being dragged out by hired security agency, Lear Asset Management.
RELATED: Coeur d’Alene Police investigating town hall uproar involving Kootenai Sheriff
Sheriff Norris’ Office released a statement Monday, saying no members of the sheriff office were present at or involved in the town hall. The Sheriff’s Office pointed to Coeur d’Alene Police who would be investigating a criminal matter.
That criminal matter was a battery charge against Dr. Borrenpohl, who was accused of biting one of the agents who was recorded dragging her out.
Police said they recommended the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office drop the battery charge, based on what led up to the alleged battery.
Coeur d’Alene’s Police Chief also recommended that Lear’s license be suspended to prevent the agency from operating in Coeur d’Alene in the future. That is because of Coeur d’Alene city ordinance 5.32.050, which states:
“Uniforms worn by security agents must be clearly marked with the word ‘Security’ in letters no less than one inch tall on the front of the uniform, and no less than four inches tall on the back of the uniform. Any uniform worn by security agents shall be of a design and color required by the Chief of Police to be easily distinguishable from the uniform of the regular police department or sheriff department. All cars used by the security agent in pursuance of their occupation as such shall be plainly marked on both sides thereof with the word ‘Security’ in letters no less than six inches tall, and shall not display a badge or design that would make them easily confused with any local law enforcement agency. Uniforms and vehicles must be inspected by the Chief of Police or designee every three years after the initial inspection.”
Lear agents did not have clear security markings in video seen by KXLY of the incident. Police agreed that they also couldn’t see clear indications that the agents were security.
KXLY contacted Sheriff Norris about Coeur d’Alene Police’s recommendations. His office released the following statement:
“Sheriff Norris does not have any comment regarding the CDA Police Chief’s statements. Also, in regards to the recommendation for dropping charges, please refer to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department as they were the ones who handled the investigation and associated charges.”
KXLY contacted Lear for comment, and had not heard back at the time this article was published.
Dr. Borrenpohl has served as the founding Enrollment Services Center Manager for North Idaho College, according to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Office (AACRAO), based in Washington, D.C.
According to a resume online, Borrenpohl applied to the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management Hiring Committee at Central Washington University in April 2024.
She was named “40 under 40” in the North Idaho Business Journal in 2023 for her work in higher learning enrollment.
Borrenpohl ran for Idaho State Legislature District 3 in 2020. She ran for Idaho House of Representatives District 5B in November 2024, but lost overwhelmingly to Republican Tony Wisniewski.
Efforts to contact Dr. Borrenpohl were unsuccessful Monday, but she posted a message on her Instagram account, saying,
“I could have never imagined my right to free speech and my right to assemble could be stripped in such a violent way. Due to the sensitivity and shock of the matter, I am unable to speak on this situation immediately, but I will make me voice heard when the time is appropriate.”
A GoFundMe was set up with a goal of raising $30,000 to help Borrenpohl retain legal counsel. By Monday afternoon, it had far surpassed that goal, with $134,000 donated.
MORE: Multiple Democrats forcibly removed from Kootenai County Republican Central Committee town hall
RELATED: Kootenai County Commissioners’ issue statement over town hall arrest
An earlier version of this story published that KXLY contacted the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office for comment: that agency does not handle misdemeanor charges.
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