November 6, 2015 11:55AM # Police Union Planning “Surprise” for Quentin Tarantino By [Walter Olson](https://www.cato.org/people/walter-olson) --- SHARE After filmmaker Quentin Tarantino delivered an impassioned speech at a rally denouncing as “murder” some recent police uses of force against civilians, pro-police groups called for a boycott of his films. So far, so dull. But now, [according to the ](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fraternal-order-police-quentin-tarantino-837394)[Hollywood Reporter](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fraternal-order-police-quentin-tarantino-837394), things have taken a new and remarkable turn. > In a veiled threat, the largest police union in the country says it has a “surprise” in store for Quentin Tarantino. > > > Jim Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, would not go into any detail about what is being cooked up for the Hollywood director, but he did tell *THR*: “We’ll be opportunistic.” Pasco specified that the “surprise” in question would be in addition to the standing call for a boycott. > “Something is in the works, but the element of surprise is the most important element,” says Pasco. “Something could happen anytime between now and \[the premiere\]. And a lot of it is going to be driven by Tarantino, who is nothing if not predictable. > > > “The right time and place will come up and we’ll try to hurt him in the only way that seems to matter to him, and that’s economically,” says Pasco. > > > When asked if this was a threat, Pasco said no, at least not a physical threat. Note well that last bit, which did not deny that the surprise might involve forms of on-the-job retaliation by Pasco’s members falling short of physical violence. Might it involve traffic problems at a Tarantino appearance? Asking patrons to state their business as they walk to a premiere? Simple failure to extend protection can accomplish a lot, as [Padma Lakshmi discovered last year](http://overlawyered.com/2014/08/boston-attack-padma-lakshmi-crew/) when police outside Boston failed to protect her from a vicious onslaught and tire-slashings when her crew tried to film a segment of Top Chef without a demanded union contingent. Like many others, I have taken positions adverse to FOP’s — [opposing its call](https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/using-hate-label-crimes-against-cops-goes-too-far) for attacks on police to be covered by the enhanced penalties of hate crime laws, for example, and criticizing the LEOBR laws that confer [teacher-like tenure on errant cops](http://overlawyered.com/2015/05/law-enforcement-officers-bill-of-rights-laws-contd/). Perhaps from now on I too should worry about a “surprise” at the hands of police unionists who might, after finding my movements “predictable,” seize the “right time and place” to “try to hurt.” ##### Related Tags [Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) [![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).