Tulsa cop suspended for not attending muzzie function

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Mosque flap leads to TPD captain being suspended

By NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writer
Published: 6/15/2011  2:29 AM
Last Modified: 6/15/2011  7:40 AM

A Tulsa police captain who disobeyed an order to make officers attend a Law Enforcement Appreciation Day at a Tulsa mosque was suspended without pay for two weeks.

In February, Capt. Paul Fields was temporarily transferred from the Police Department's Riverside Division to the Mingo Valley Division, and an internal investigation was launched into the matter.

Fields filed a federal lawsuit two days later, claiming his First Amendment rights were violated.

His suspension began June 12 and will end June 25, according to a personnel order signed by Police Chief Chuck Jordan.

Specifically, he was suspended 40 hours for violating the department's rule on being obedient and another 40 hours for violating a rule on conduct unbecoming to an officer.

The personnel order states that his "actions and writings that were made public brought discredit upon the department related to furnishing officers to attend" the event.

The Law Enforcement Appreciation Day was held March 4 at the mosque of the Islamic Society of Tulsa. Jordan has said the Islamic Society scheduled the event to show its appreciation for the officers' response to a threat against it. Officers have attended past events at that location.

Each of the Police Department's three patrol divisions had been assigned to schedule at least six officers and three supervisors to attend the event.

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