posted on Feb, 26 2011 @ 07:17 PM
There is more documentation on this issue and the series of events that led up to this.
In short the Captain who is at the center of the issue, is a decorated officer, with a lot of commendations for service, with no disciplinary actions
in his file.
The facts are as follows:
1) The Islamic Society of Tulsa, invited Tulsa officers to attend a law enforcement appreciation day on March 4, 2011. It was a voluntary event,
with no orders initially for any officer to attend.
2) According to memos, this was originally voluntary to attend, but because of a lack of officers signing up, the deputy chief sent a memo stating
that each patrol division would send officers to the event.
3) The basis of the event, according to the flier, was to be held in a Mosque, a place of worship, and for a tour, as well as, a discussion on
belief, human rights, and women, along with food, drink, and a chance to observe noon day prayers. There was no mention, beyond that this was for Law
Enforcement Appreciation of anything that would require the police to be present.
4) The Captain, a 16 year veteran of the police force, consulted with a lawyer before responding to the memo, stating that he felt it was wrong and
in violation of his and the officers under him, their civil rights to be forced to attend this event, where it was located at. In the past, all
invitations to these kinds of functions both religious and non religious institutions were always voluntary in nature.
5) An argument came about between the captain and the deputy chief of police as to the nature of this event, with the function being that of
community policing, which is a part of the job. And in the past officers have been assigned to similar events.
6) Based off of a memo and a reassignment, it looks like a case of retaliation against the captain, by the chief of police in Tulsa.
This should have never gone to that point, and such is neither bigoted or bias, rather the officers made a person choice. Under what has been posted,
then it could be construed, as non of the other officers choose to go in the first place, they too are bigoted, and bias against those who follow
Islamic faith? Is it fair to force people to go to an event that they do not want to? And if this event was to appreciate the police, where was the
events or the things that would be for the police? There was nothing in the flier that would indicate such, rather it was an event, that was just for
the Islamic community.