Motorist Finds Something Fishy About Traffic Ticket : Law enforcement: A police officer is accused of adding a Christian emblem next to his signature. He has told his superiors that he did not intend to make a religious statement.

Manhattan Beach real estate agent Kathleen Parsons is used to seeing fish-shaped Christian symbols on the back of cars--but not on a traffic ticket.

Parsons has complained to her city’s Police Department that an officer issued her a ticket with the symbol, known as an ichthus, drawn next to his signature.

“I was so offended, I thought ‘Is this ticket endorsed by Jesus Christ? Should I repent?’ ” she said.

Parsons has hired an attorney to seek dismissal of the ticket, which she was issued in October for allegedly failing to make a complete stop. She denies committing the violation but says she will also argue in traffic court that the citation should be invalidated because the officer drew a religious symbol on it.

The officer, Steve Fletcher, has told officials that he did not mean to make a religious statement and that the fishlike shape is actually part of his signature, Manhattan Beach Police Capt. Mike Skogh said.

Nevertheless, after Parsons’ complaint, police officials told the officer to stop using the fish figure, City Manager Bill Smith said.

“It didn’t sound appropriate to me,” Smith said. “I talked to the police chief about it. It’s my understanding that the officer has been told not to do it anymore. It didn’t seem that big of a deal . . . but if the public perceives it’s wrong, then an officer probably shouldn’t be doing it.”

A police supervisor is reviewing other citations issued by Fletcher, but department officials would not say how long the officer has been attaching the fish outline to his signature.

Attempts to reach Fletcher for comment were unsuccessful, but Skogh defended the officer. “The officer has said it was not his intention to make a religious statement,” Skogh said. “This is a professional officer and I accept his explanation.”

Parsons disagrees, asserting that Fletcher clearly meant to put a Christian symbol on her ticket.

“I just think he (Fletcher) has no business indicating his religious preference (on a ticket),” Parsons said. “This all basically is a matter of principle. I’m innocent first of all. I would have gladly, if I (was guilty), gone to traffic school.”