Sikeston officer placed on leave after Islamophobic comments on Facebook

Sikeston, Missouri, police officer Frankie Adams was placed on administrative leave Thursday after posting anti-Muslim comments on Facebook.

Levi, canine officer, greets Kinsey Kaiser outside of the Standard Democrat while public safety officer Frankie Adams, canine handler for the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, looks on. Adams was placed on administrative leave Thursday for posting anti-Muslim comments on social media.Scott Welton ~ Standard Democrat

Levi, K-9 officer, greets Kinsey Kaiser outside of the Standard Democrat while Public Safety Officer Frankie Adams, K-9 handler for the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, looks on. Levi is the third K-9 officer to work with Adams. Scott Welton ~ Standard Democrat

"I get to choose whom I dislike, and it just so happens to be all Muslims and their beliefs," Adams wrote in one of many Facebook messages.

Adams threatened to seek to have one Muslim, with whom he disagreed, placed on the U.S. government's watch list, according to Facebook messages provided to the Southeast Missourian.

The officer called Islam a "filthy religion" and called for all American Muslims to be deported.

James McMillen, who was named director of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety (DPS) late last month, posted on the department's Facebook page Thursday an employee was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation but did not name the individual.

"Being a personnel issue, I have limitations on what I can say about these issues," McMillen wrote. "However, I can tell you that we take every complaint seriously and will do the right thing."

McMillen did not indicate how long the investigation would take or whether Adams ultimately would be fired.

The Southeast Missourian sought further comment from McMillen via a phone message and email, but he did not respond.

The executive director of the Missouri chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, welcomed the "initial action" taken against the officer. Faizan Syed, executive director of the Missouri chapter based in St. Louis, said his office learned of Adams' anti-Muslim comments Wednesday night.

Syed said he contacted police chief McMillen Thursday morning. "He seemed very sincere and upset by the situation and he wanted to take action on this," Syed said.

Adams made his comments on social media under the pseudonym, Frankie Clayton, a fact confirmed by McMillen, Syed said.

Syed said Adams had posted anti-Muslim comments for months.

"We believe that any police that holds this type of prejudice is dangerous to the community," Syed wrote in an email to the Southeast Missourian.

He said nationwide it has become increasingly common for police officers to express anti-Muslim views on social media.

"This incident is yet another example of the rise in anti-Muslim bigotry we have witnessed in the current toxic and divisive political environment," Syed said in an emailed statement.

"I think President (Donald) Trump and his administration has helped mainstream and give room for these anti-Muslim bigots to be comfortable in posting this type of crazy stuff,' Syed said in a subsequent interview with the Southeast Missourian.

Sikeston is one of three Missouri communities where police officers have posted anti-Muslim comments. The others occurred in St. Louis and in a town near Joplin, Missouri, Syed said.

These incidents have occurred within the past six months, according to Syed.

In June, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner added 22 more names to a list of St. Louis police officers who are not allowed to bring cases to her office. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the names were added to the list after a national group accused the officers of posting racist and anti-Muslim comments on social media.

"It is something very troubling," Syed said.