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Tulsa, Ok Police Captain suspended when he won't attend Islamic event

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  • Kieth M.
    When do I grow up?
    • Oct 2005
    • 8573

    Tulsa, Ok Police Captain suspended when he won't attend Islamic event

    I am very surprised we haven't seen this, here, on O.com before....

    Tulsa Police Captain Involved In Mosque Dispute Suspended For Two WeeksPosted: Jun 14, 2011 11:54 AM MDT
    Updated: Jun 14, 2011 3:20 PM MDT

    TULSA, Oklahoma -- A Tulsa Police Captain who was reassigned for refusing to order his officers to attend a Law Enforcement Appreciation Day event at the Islamic Center has begun serving an 80-hour suspension without pay.

    The Tulsa Police Department says the suspension is for violation of two police department policies.

    Forty hours for violating policy "Duty to be truthful and obedient," and forty hours for violating policy "Conduct unbecoming an officer or police employee."

    In February, Captain Paul Fields said the order violated his religious beliefs. He filed a civil lawsuit in federal court in Tulsa which is still pending.

    After the suspension ends on June 25, 2011, Captain Fields will be assigned the graveyard shift at the department's Mingo Valley Division and he will not be eligible for promotion for one year.

    The Law Enforcement Appreciation Day event at the mosque was held March 4, 2011.

    Fields' attorney says he has filed a grievance with the Tulsa Police Department concerning the suspension order.

    The last action on the federal lawsuit was back in March, when the Thomas More Law Center announced it had joined the suit to "defend Captain Fields' constitutional right not to become a propaganda prop for the local mosque."

    --------------------------------------

    Ever been asked to go someplace (on a PC/PR mission) you didn't want to go?

    I think, once, I was tasked with attending a police appreciation event, held at a Hollywood area "church" where they had a painting of a helmeted outer space alien..."the bringer of life to our planet." For the life of me, I can't recall just how I got out of it. But I have to wonder out loud if Captain Fields ever heard of a "sick day".
    Last edited by Kieth M.; 06-22-2011, 04:45 PM.
    "You're never fully dressed without a smile."

    Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

    Three things I know for sure: (1) No bad deed goes unrewarded, (2) No good deed goes unpunished, and (3) It is entirely possible to push the most devoted, loyal and caring person beyond the point where they no longer give a 5h!t.
  • DAL
    "Official Non-Person"
    • Dec 2005
    • 9357

    #2
    I think he should not have been told to "order" his personnel to attend, because doing so might be inconsistent with their religious beliefs. I wonder what would have happened if he had encouraged but not ordered his personnel to attend.
    Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. -- Aldous Huxley
    Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. -- Albert Einstein

    Comment

    • 5031OKC
      CSI Sucks
      • Jan 2009
      • 717

      #3
      I'll be very interested in seeing how this lawsuit plays out. Seems to me the thing to do would be to as least ask for volunteers first as opposed to mandating that officers be ordered to attend the event. Doing this could have perhaps avoided all the conflict. I'm backing Captain Fields' play.
      Anything worth shooting is worth shooting 3 or 4 times.

      M-11

      Comment

      • AtlCop
        Forum Member
        • Feb 2005
        • 632

        #4
        I'm sorry but they were not forcing him to observe Islamic religion. He was assigned for community relations at an event. Regardless of how we feel about different religions, as a government agent, our obligation is to protect them just like we would anyone else. If he was assigned to go, he had no choice - it's in his job description and it was a lawful order.
        Sign here. Press hard. You are making five copies.

        Comment

        • btfp
          Forum Member
          • Aug 2008
          • 1374

          #5
          He should have gone. How many have gone to a church, synagouge or other house of worship? When told there will be a law enforcement appreciation event at the atheist compound , or budda temple, you go. You don't have to eat the food, just minglem listen and hand out business cards.
          Who knows when one of them may hear something and feel a trust towards officer Smith and phone him/her with info. Stranger things have happened.

          Comment

          • Bearcat357
            Banned
            • Mar 2007
            • 18498

            #6
            Bet he settles out of court and retires early with a nice chunk of change......

            Comment

            • beachcop05
              Forum Member
              • Apr 2006
              • 2244

              #7
              I'm behind this Captain, all the way.

              Comment

              • retired
                Senior Veteran
                • Jun 2000
                • 6503

                #8
                Originally posted by AtlCop
                I'm sorry but they were not forcing him to observe Islamic religion. He was assigned for community relations at an event. Regardless of how we feel about different religions, as a government agent, our obligation is to protect them just like we would anyone else. If he was assigned to go, he had no choice - it's in his job description and it was a lawful order.
                I agree with you, he should have followed orders. He wasn't told to be a Muslim, just attend a day of appreciation.
                Retired

                Comment

                • Bearcat357
                  Banned
                  • Mar 2007
                  • 18498

                  #9
                  Couldn't they have gotten someone else....? Why send a CPT...? Send the Chief or Assistant Chief if its that big of a deal.......

                  Has to be more to the story and as stated, he will end up with cash in his pocket and early retirement because the City will get scared.......

                  Idiots...

                  Comment

                  • District B 13
                    Forum Member
                    • Feb 2009
                    • 1562

                    #10
                    Should go. That way you can personally identify all the terrorists and baby terrorists in the area. Screw this PC bs. When was the last time anyone "had to attend" an event at a Catholic or Jewish facility?
                    Free Deke O'Mally!!!

                    Comment

                    • Shaidon
                      Retired DPD
                      • Nov 2006
                      • 688

                      #11
                      Originally posted by retired
                      I agree with you, he should have followed orders. He wasn't told to be a Muslim, just attend a day of appreciation.

                      Right. Because I would be very comfortable going to a place that has a large community of folks who have a notorious hatred for Law Enforcement.

                      Don't get me wrong. If this was a rally/march/etc I would do my duty and protect their rights to free speech and right to assemble, and make sure they didn't have anyone hurt them or break the law. But being ordered/forced to go to a sham of a PR event? No thanks. If the Dept. felt this strongly about having Officers present, then they should have tried to have volunteers, or had the genius who ok'ed this go himself (i.e. the Chief). It's absolute crap to force someone to go to a PR event and not have the balls to go yourself if your subordinate refuses on religious grounds.

                      And no I'm not a bigot....A couple of my old partners are Islamic and we are good friends.

                      Put it this way....if you were a devout Christian and went to church 3 times a week etc etc etc and you were "ordered" to go to a Satanic Church and "mingle" and be friendly and smile and wave....would you feel comfortable? It's not about the religion itself. It's about the Capt. feeling that his beliefs were being squashed and he was forced to go despite his objections. I would be ****ed too. (And I'm not christian either).
                      I disaprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. -Voltaire

                      Comment

                      • SRT936
                        Barefoot Ninja
                        • Dec 2003
                        • 7315

                        #12
                        Originally posted by retired
                        I agree with you, he should have followed orders. He wasn't told to be a Muslim, just attend a day of appreciation.
                        So when the Christian Guard or the Creativity Movement decide to have an appreciation day, we should attend without question?
                        \

                        Comment

                        • Fëanor
                          Forum Member
                          • Jul 2006
                          • 2447

                          #13
                          Edit: Whoops, forgot which forum.
                          Last edited by Fëanor; 06-22-2011, 07:46 PM.

                          Comment

                          • gunslash
                            Forum Member
                            • Apr 2007
                            • 1114

                            #14
                            I've done a few similar "***** kissing functions". I don't think I was the best choice for it (new yorker and freshly back from iraq lol), but my personal feeling aside, at the end of the day this is a job and I'm getting paid to do as I'm told...same goes for the captain. If he was asked to go on his own time, then its a whole different story, but while getting paid...well, do what you gota do!

                            Comment

                            • Magic Matt
                              Forum Member
                              • Feb 2009
                              • 1798

                              #15
                              If you’re getting paid, and you swore an oath, and it’s a legal order, then you do your job, you don’t have to like it.

                              Is this a BS PC order from a CS command staff, yes it is, how strange is that…
                              Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

                              Comment

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