(Kenosha Sheriff)
Kenosha, Wis. — The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office has disciplined a deputy who conducted a questionable traffic stop after a driver gave him the middle finger — a gesture protected by the First Amendment.
Deputy Manuel Mandujano Jr. received a one-day unpaid suspension and mandatory constitutional policing training following an internal investigation into the February 1 incident, which gained traction online after video footage was posted to the “LackLuster” YouTube channel. The footage showed Mandujano initiating a stop on a DoorDash driver after the driver flipped him off while passing in the Village of Bristol.
According to disciplinary records obtained by Kenosha County Eye through an open records request, Mandujano admitted the gesture angered him and that it influenced his decision to pull the driver over. He initially claimed the driver was going 35 mph in a 45 zone and was “impeding traffic,” but later conceded he did not confirm whether other vehicles were behind the car — a key element of that violation.
The Sheriff’s Office found that Mandujano failed to establish reasonable suspicion for the stop, instead focusing on what he called a “contemptuous” gesture. “He was fixated on the black SUV and was still upset about the gesture,” the internal memo states. “He second-guessed his rationale for the stop after it had occurred.”
The department’s report acknowledges that Mandujano was aware — both before and after the stop — that flipping off an officer is not grounds for detention. He told investigators that the driver appeared to be baiting him and that he made a phone call afterward to a fellow deputy to “vent.”
The incident drew public criticism after the driver posted the dashcam video to YouTube, saying he didn’t press the issue further during the stop because he had food in his car to deliver. In the video, Mandujano questions the driver about the gesture and only briefly references the alleged traffic infraction before letting the driver go.
Kenosha County’s disciplinary report cited multiple policy violations, including abuse of authority, failure to uphold constitutional rights, and unprofessional conduct. Investigators said Mandujano’s actions were inconsistent with the department’s standards but described him as a generally high-performing deputy.
“The First Amendment actions of citizens, no matter how contemptuous they may be toward law enforcement, should never elicit this type of reaction,” the report stated.
In addition to the one-day suspension, Mandujano is required to complete retraining focused on constitutional policing, including First Amendment protections, emotional control, and legal standards for traffic enforcement.
Records also show that Mandujano received two separate training memos in May 2023 for misclassifying squad and body camera footage. In one case involving a felony arrest, three videos were improperly tagged, potentially affecting video retention timelines under state law. A second memo documented similar issues with two videos from a misdemeanor arrest. In both instances, Mandujano was warned that future violations could result in progressive discipline.
While these earlier incidents did not result in formal disciplinary action, supervisors cited them as part of Mandujano’s training history during the February investigation.
82 Responses
What a win for the sack of shit doordash driver.
Cop licker
Dave ( not your real name ) is a cocksucker.
Though your description of the doordash driver is correct, and probably even too kind, it is a win in reminding officers of the law, that simply being angry does not give them an excuse a false arrest, ticket, or anything similar. Things happen to me everyday that pissed me off, but if we expect this to be a society worth living in, we need to follow certain rules and how we react. Personally, I would have no problem with a deputy flipping the bird right back to someone, but I’m kind of a hot head and maybe that’s why I’ve never run for sheriff. 🤣🤣🤣
I support our Sheriffs office. The DoorDash driver should get a ticket for disorderly conduct.
Constitutionally protected activities do not merit citations. You can still support whoever you want, that’s the beauty of living in the Greatest Nation on God’s Green Earth. Freedom of speech protects speech others disagree with.
I don’t support tyrant cops
Yeah… Given this deputy’s past history sounds like he’s pretty much a power tripper. Cant have that. So somebody flipped him off big deal.Go after the real criminals!
It’s good to see the Sheriff’s Department doesn’t either, unlike some others.
Has any Media reached out to DoorDash to get their reaction? It seems to me that, if the Driver remains part of their organization, it indicates that DoorDash Corporate supports on-duty DoorDash employees/contractors randomly abusing Law Enforcement.
How did he abuse law enforcement🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️ flipping someone off is not abuse 🤣🤣
I was raised by parents who taught me to be respectful of others….particularly those in Law Enforcement who put their lives on the line everyday for us all. Yes….using a hand gesture that means “F*ck You” toward someone legally restricted from a proper response…. is both a cowardly act and a form of abuse.
I am sorry that your parents failed to instill basic human decency in your approach to others.
Maybe a cowardly act but no form of abuse detected we have a freedom of speech and he was exercising it reason why the cop is being reprimanded duh
My parents definitely didn’t fail anything they actually did an amazing job since they taught me enough decency to put love into the world enough that I adopted children that were not mine so before you speak upon anyone know so you don’t make an a*% out of yourself 🤷🏽♀️
The fact that you are raising your children to believe flipping off a police officer is OK says everything I need to know about you.
1. You are teaching cowardice and hate.
2. Your kids may rightfully take a good beating if they flip off the wrong person. Your failure as a parent will cause them to learn basic decency the Hard Way…..sadly.
Be better.
It’s a finger gesture, astounding how much of a snowflake one can be.
It was just a finger gesture. Yes, it is his constitutional right to be a prick.
But it’s also a completely valid question for the folks running DoorDash. You want your drivers flipping off random people? Cops or otherwise? A good look for your business?
Lmbo I raised some amazing young men FYI very respectful, they give back to their community, one works one has his own business, they are mentors and have an abundance of people that love them so guess what I raise Great men that contribute positivity to the society and I did it all as a single parents..but what I can see from you and your up bring ing is that your parents didn’t teach you how not to be judgmental and think before you speak.. Bad bad trait in life you should worry more about your judgement on others and less about someone being flipped off..
Oh stop the drama!
Parents raised me to respect police officers. I respect most of them. I have had more positive than bad interactions in my life. Cops have to be better than the average citizen. Not losing your shit when someone flips you off is part of the job. Even if that person is a douche. It’s constitutionally protected and every cop should know that.
I’m thankful for the times KPD has helped my family and others. I won’t name those detectives and officers that did good work.
Seems like this officer won’t lose his job. Hope he and the rest of the force learns from this.
I agree it was cowardly. But for an officer it should just roll off of you.
Cops think they can do what ever they want until someone records them.
I doubt that Door Dash will be dumb enough to penalize an employee for exercising his First Amendment rights.
That is one of the stupidest comments ever. Just because something is constitutional does not mean it is decent or acceptable in any sort of honorable engagement. Picking your nose and thumbing your butt is your constitutional right, but are you going to hire someone that does that during the interview? And if you get comments from customers that they are disgusted by the acitons of the employee for doing those things, are you going to keep them on? I personally hope this driver gets fired and learns to be a more decent person. He is clearly a passive aggessive loser.
Like that is really going to happen. Doordash doesn’t care who or what transfers your food and how much of it they sample on the way or even throw it on your roof if they decide you didn’t give them enough of a tip.
Just what is a …. ??
“ high-performing deputy “
I’ve dealt with this officer in the past. He was professional and all went well. Just a bad judgement move. Sometimes emotions get the best of us
This is a lack of professionalism and understanding of the “Job”.
Should police know every law in the book ? No.
But what happened here is lack of knowledge that is learned in High School. And how important it is.
As someone who has seen hundreds of these type of videos I would think that these types of videos should be required viewing for all law enforcement personnel. Just an hours worth will explain how you and your department opens themselves up to huge lawsuits and ultimately payouts that us the taxpayers foot the bill for.
This was exactly what it is, retaliation for a bruised ego. Like fireman, these deputies get paid well for putting their lives on the line.
They choose this job. If they can’t handle public abuse, legally protected abuse, then leave the profession !
Kenosha County Sheriff Department, do better !!
Firemen and deputies are underpaid based on the current Kenosha area job market and cost of living. What they’re starting at now, was decent 10 years ago. Wages of civilian jobs have increased hand over fist during that time. Government processes are slow to react to market conditions.
Fireman and deputies are like any employee in any market, they are free to leave at any time if they do not feel it is the best career situation for them. They aren’t indentured servants and they don’t get chained to a desk or squad. They can turn in any employer owned property and walk away at any time.
Deputies and Officers are underpaid.
The same can NOT be said about teachers and hose-draggers.
So in court it’s the dirty cops word against the citizen! If the driver didn’t record this encounter he would have gotten a ticket.
He was only stopped and let go. No ticket.
Stoped for what? The cop violated the drivers rights
I’m going to write-in vote for the office tomorrow jk that is friendly reminder to vote tomorrow
The election is too important to waste your vote like that.
At the end of the day you have a grown ass man earning shit pay for delivering DoorDash. In my book, he is a LOSER! Karma 🙂
At the end of the day you judge someone. I guess your perfect
Far from perfect, but I respect law enforcement, unlike this loser. So yeah, I find it hilarious he is nearly 40 and earning $20k a year. Shit life for shit people, also known as karma.
Well, smell you!
Ok keyboard warrior
Of course the guy is a loser, but probably less of a loser than many of the people a deputy will encounter during his shift. That’s why deputies are supposed to hold themselves to a certain standard of behavior, and not expect everyone they run into to be a future saint. Hopefully this is a wake up call for a very young officer to get a s*** together and turn his career around before he ends up incarcerated with some of the people he was angry at in the past.
Door Dash Driver loser or no loser, the Deputy should not have engaged in this negative attention produced by the loser Driver, He fell right into the trap that these people set up, just like all the ones you see on the internet, Police are held to higher professional behavior, One day is not enough should have been a 3 day no pay and learn how to be a professional you should be. You are a Police officer act like one , Serve and protect !!!!
Trap? So the cop is easily manipulated into breaking the law
Amen!
40 hours of constitutional review.
These types of interactions will increase greatly in the future. While we haven’t yet reached the “us vs them” point such as seen in other countries that declare martial law and have a police state, these scenarios are bound to happen more and more.
For the “victim with a camera” we hope it goes no further than the stop and let go. But for the taxpayers, we hope it doesn’t happen at all.
Every one of these interactions are subject to a lawsuit. A lawsuit that these deputies don’t have to pay out of their own pockets.
It’s my pocket. Therefore I get to tell them, get more training ! Or leave the profession
I don’t know what to say about this other then the sheriff’s dept do need training. I’m going through a case now that if the sheriff’s dept would’ve saved my life of the night in question I wouldn’t be going through it now. I started my car thinking they come in and save me and it’s all on camera and they just looked at my car n left n I was held hostage till the next day after being beat and strangled. They didn’t search the whole premises and lied on the report. Lazy police work and can’t wait to hear their stories in court. 😪
I think the sheriff’s department had little choice to do what they did. “Flipping off” an officer, however, is not always protected speech. Depending on the circumstances, such as whether young children were present, it could be disorderly conduct.
Flipping off is protected.
WI has Unconstitutional “Disorderly Conduct” laws.
947.01 Disorderly conduct.
(1) Whoever, in a public or private place, engages in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
(2) Unless other facts and circumstances that indicate a criminal or malicious intent on the part of the person apply, a person is not in violation of, and may not be charged with a violation of, this section for loading a firearm, or for carrying or going armed with a firearm or a knife, without regard to whether the firearm is loaded or the firearm or the knife is concealed or openly carried.
History: 1977 c. 173; 1979 c. 131; 2011 a. 35; 2015 a. 149.
The defendant was properly convicted of disorderly conduct when the defendant appeared on a stage wearing a minimum of clothing intending to and succeeding in causing a loud reaction in the audience. State v. Maker, 48 Wis. 2d 612, 180 N.W.2d 707 (1970).
An attorney was properly convicted under this section for refusing to leave a ward in a mental hospital until he had seen a client after having made statements in the presence of patients that caused some to become agitated. State v. Elson, 60 Wis. 2d 54, 208 N.W.2d 363 (1973).
It was not disorderly conduct for four people to enter an office with other members of the public for the purpose of protesting the draft and to refuse to leave on orders of the police when their conduct was not otherwise disturbing. State v. Werstein, 60 Wis. 2d 668, 211 N.W.2d 437 (1973).
This statute does not require a victim, but, when the disorderly conduct is directed at a person, that person is the victim for the purpose of prosecuting the perpetrator for intimidating a victim under s. 940.44. State v. Vinje, 201 Wis. 2d 98, 548 N.W.2d 118 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-1484.
A “true threat” is a statement that a speaker would reasonably foresee that a listener would reasonably interpret as a serious expression of a purpose to inflict harm, as distinguished from hyperbole, jest, innocuous talk, expressions of political views, or other similarly protected speech. It is not necessary that the speaker have the ability to carry out the threat. State v. Perkins, 2001 WI 46, 243 Wis. 2d 141, 626 N.W.2d 762, 99-1924. But see Counterman v. Colorado, 600 U.S. ___, 143 S. Ct. 2106, 216 L. Ed. 2d 775 (2023).
Purely written speech, even written speech that fails to cause an actual disturbance, can constitute disorderly conduct, but the state has the burden to prove that the speech is constitutionally unprotected “abusive” conduct. “Abusive” conduct is conduct that is injurious, improper, hurtful, offensive, or reproachful. “True threats” clearly fall within the scope of this definition. State v. Douglas D., 2001 WI 47, 243 Wis. 2d 204, 626 N.W.2d 725, 99-1767.
Application of the disorderly conduct statute to speech alone is permissible under appropriate circumstances. When speech is not an essential part of any exposition of ideas, when it is utterly devoid of social value, and when it can cause or provoke a disturbance, the disorderly conduct statute can be applicable. State v. A.S., 2001 WI 48, 243 Wis. 2d 173, 626 N.W.2d 712, 99-2317.
Disorderly conduct does not necessarily require disruptions that implicate the public directly. This section encompasses conduct that tends to cause a disturbance or disruption that is personal or private in nature, as long as there exists the real possibility that the disturbance or disruption will spill over and disrupt the peace, order, or safety of the surrounding community as well. Sending repeated, unwelcome, and anonymous mailings was “otherwise disorderly conduct.” State v. Schwebke, 2002 WI 55, 253 Wis. 2d 1, 644 N.W.2d 666, 99-3204.
Defiance of a police officer’s order to move is itself disorderly conduct if the order is lawful. Braun v. Baldwin, 346 F.3d 761 (2003).
What did you copy that out of the state statutes?
You’re a genius
! Disgruntled citizen “gives the finger” to a La Crosse cadet writing parking tickets.
! Is this disorderly conduct?
! Court of Appeals: “[G]iving a cadet ‘the
finger’ is not in itself disorderly conduct.”
! But . . .“[D]oing so in the presence of children is another matter. Children should not be subjected to that universal symbol
of contempt and sexual content.”
Oh for heavens sake .My third grader grandchild is learning this in their class. Turn on the TV You see more sexual content than that!
What does raising one finger mean? It means what ever you want it to mean.
When I was growing up, it was sometime known as “The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate” award,. Then again that was based on what you watched as night time T.V.
What nerve, telling the citizen to relax and take a breather. Same thing ol boy should’ve done.
Dang , I got 3 days suspended in high school for saying the f word out load and teacher over heard it .
Should have gotten expelled
So the officer lied by saying the guy was speeding and that’s why he pulled him over. Should be fired on the spot. Dirty SOB
Well I was charged with disorderly conduct for sticking my middle finger up at an officer for good reasons! I learned that IS considered a disorderly conduct! Apparently it’s equivalent to a swear word! 🙄
You got had
Did you have a video of the incident? If not, that’s why you got a ticket
I’m in my mid sixties and I still don’t like cops. I don’t like cops to the point that I go out of my way to avoid them. My vehicle is good mechanical shape including all the lights. I drive the speed limit and signal all turns and lane changes. I drive around Kenosha and county pissed off about all the stupid drivers hanging on a fender in the left lane. So I avoid the cops.
I will say that 18 months ago, I got into a fender bender here in Kenosha. I legally carry a gun and all 6 officers that showed up were all professional.
You must have done something wrong to behave this way.
Wow, funny there is no mention of the person pulled over…..felon drug dealer Aaron Rodefer.
Wow….no mention of the convicted felon drug dealer who was the guy who the cop pulled over, Aaron Rodefer?
NO…. BECAUSE IT WAS A HAND GESTURE!!!!!
Yeah, Aaron Rodefer is a worthless piece of shit. I sure hope he walks a straight line in life now, as I assure you he will be given zero breaks by any Kenosha law enforcement in the future.
DoorDash loser!
Big hater you are. Sad. Life
I noticed you didn’t say he was incorrect In his description, though.
I don’t know. First amendment or not. That cop didn’t do anything wrong and the door dash creep should have received a ticket for disorderly conduct or something. Our police have to put up with so much. I feel bad for them.
By these comments, we have a bunch of disrespectful people living in Kenosha. You respect the BADGE, period! Hopefully Aaron will get a hot dose of fentanyl in the future and no officer saves his life. He will not be missed, an 18 year old college student will take his place as a DoorDasher.
Hey Aaron, you are scum, a loser, don’t be so proud.
Boot licker
Manuel Mandujano? Is this in Kenosha or my newly adopted and improved country of Mexico at my 86-acre ranch with two cool swimming pools? Thin brown skin doesn’t fly in the racist USI
new video, made turmeric beer, check out my new ranch entrance too. https://rumble.com/v6qjwzq-making-turmeric-beer-making-ranch-great-again-marches-on-check-out-the-new-.html
If the motorist was engaging in disorderly conduct then there should have been a stop and arrest for that. But it was for “contempt of cop” which is not necessarily against the law. The discipline seems pretty light. Poor judgment by the officer.
Yea, right, a Kenosha Sheriff’s deputy was pulling someone over for going 10 under. Meanwhile, everywhere else in the county, people are doing 20-30+ over, and the sheriff’s department turns a blind eye. No wonder road deaths & accidents are so extreme!
You are a complete idiot
Name calling without justifying a statement.
Go support Ukraine harder, lefty.
Most cops violate people’s civil rights on a daily basis. They’re not educated correctly and give the *That’s how we e been doing it forever* excuse. Normalization of deviance is a problem in LE everywhere.
It seems to me that those who don’t like cops must have had a few run ins with them. Good faith citizens don’t have negative experiences with law enforcement. Cops have some level of discretion and when someone acts like a rude, undisciplined disrespectful jerk he is not going to get the benefit of the doubt. We all know that the middle finger is a crude aggressive gesture and using it says a lot about that person! Legal or not it is wrong headed and inviting trouble.
Again, I think people miss the point of this story.
You could be a law-abiding conservative fellow who follows the laws but loves his 1st Amendment……if that’s who flipped the cop off, it would be one thing.
However, here…you’ve got some POS who was just convicted of felonies relating to drug dealing flipping off the cop. That is just a fucking piece of shit regardless of the First Amendment. People like this are the trash of the Earth that cops have to deal with.
The First Amendment is the First Amendment.
Is the first Amendment !!!
Shitheads are shitheads are shitheads.
This seems like a pretty fair outcome. Hopefully the cop will mature and gain some emotional restraint. Hopefully the driver will too.
I am, however, puzzled by a society that overpays for garbage fast food to sit in a stranger’s vehicle for who knows how long so that it can be handed to them. It’s gross.
The chronically sedentary get to gorge and add to the population of corpulents.