Oklahoma Police official faces disciplinary action for refusing to cover Islamic event
By ANIThursday, February 24, 2011
TULSA - Tulsa Police Department Captain Paul Fields is under investigation for refusing an order to assign officers to attend an Islamic event in Oklahoma.
According to Fox News, Captain Fields refused to order officers under his command to attend the Islamic Center of Tulsa’s Law Enforcement Appreciation Day saying that it would violate his religious beliefs.
“It is my opinion and that of my legal counsel that forcing me to enter a Mosque when it is not directly related to a police call for service is a violation of my Civil Rights,” Fields wrote in an internal police department memo.
“I have no problem with officers attending on a voluntary basis; however, I take exception to requiring officers to attend this event. I believe this directive to be an unlawful order, as it is in direct conflict with my personal religious convictions,” he added.
Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan said that the event was about community relations, not religion.
“This was not religious. I would never assign a police officer to participate in religious service,” Jordan said.
“This is about a group who bonded together because of their religion. We are not going there because they are Islamic. We are going there because they are Tulsa citizens,” he added. (ANI)
