Retired LA County deputy, now a Sheriff in Idaho, forcefully pulls woman out of meeting

COEUR d'ALENE, Id. (KTTV) - When images of retired LA County deputy Bob Norris, now Sheriff with Idaho's Kootenai County, appeared on social media, criticism initially focused on his handling of the removal of a woman speaking out of turn at a town hall meeting in Coeur d'Alene—having two plainclothes security people, who were not local officers, forcibly remove the woman from the room.

The videos also show Sheriff Norris, dressed in street clothes, first trying to remove the woman himself, which has added to the criticism. Norris, according to Transparent California, which posts salaries of officials statewide, is drawing a retirement from the LA County Employees Retirement Association. Nothing is wrong with a retired officer working somewhere else, but it's the disability payments, over $150,000, if you look at the site, that are being questioned.

"If he is disabled and can't work in Los Angeles, he can work in Idaho," say people who were in the meeting. Tamara Sines Kermalis, who was with the woman removed, wonders how the sheriff was physically fit enough to try to "manhandle a woman expressing her opinions during a meeting he wasn't even presiding," while being "disabled."

LACERA issued the following statement in response to the story of Norris getting the disability checks:

"LACERA’s disability evaluation process involves a thorough review of medical records and an examination by a Board-approved doctor. The LACERA Board of Retirement grants disability retirement only if their independent physician confirms that the member is permanently incapacitated and cannot perform their job duties. The Board can then approve the disability retirement based on this evaluation."

We reached out to Sheriff Norris, who was not available for comment before FOX 11's 5 p.m. newscast. But the Coeur d'Alene Police Department published the following release regarding the incident involving Norris:

"The Coeur d’Alene Police Department is investigating the incident at the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee Town Hall on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Coeur d’Alene High School. On Saturday, February 22, 2025, the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee organized and held a Town Hall meeting, which was open to the public, at Coeur d’Alene High School. During the meeting, opinions were expressed, both for and against the various topics of discussion. During the meeting, after speaking out of turn, Teresa Borrenpohl was asked to leave. When she refused, she was physically removed by employees of Lear Asset Management, a private security firm hired by the event organizers. Officers, who were in the school parking lot due to a threat to one of the state legislators, were alerted to the incident after Borrenpohl had been removed. During the initial investigation, officers learned Borrenpohl bit one of the men involved in removing her. With the officers' limited information at the time, Borrenpohl was cited for battery. Since the initial investigation, officers and detectives have continued to investigate this incident. After reviewing all new evidence and video related to the event, the City Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has moved to dismiss the citation against Borrenpohl in the interest of justice. The business license for Lear Asset Management has been revoked for violating Coeur d'Alene City ordinances regarding Security Agencies and Agents (City Code 5.32). The Coeur d’Alene Police Department recognizes and values all rights afforded by the United States Constitution to all citizens, including the right to free speech. This is a complex incident, and detectives continue to work through all aspects of the investigation. More information will be released when it becomes available."

Teresa Borrenpohl, the educator removed from the town hall meeting, admits she was being loud about her opposition but insisted that she remained seated and respectful.

Borrenpohl's supporters have since launched a fundraiser online in hopes of covering her legal expenses in the link below: