Tim Goodman Captain of the EMS Division of the City of Detroit Fire Department has been suspended after The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations outed the official of public xenophobic posts on his facebook page.
CAIR reported that Tim allegedly made up to 50 offensive posts targeting immigrants, Muslims and other minority groups. CAIR stated that the material posted was some of the most insensitive and offensive images that a public service worker has produced, many of the images and posts were made whilst he was on duty at the fire department.
CAIR disclosed specific posts made by the fire captain, One post includes an actual photo taken by Captain Tim Goodman on the corner of "Greenfield and Grandriver Ave," just blocks from the firehouse where he works as a supervisor, captioned: "This is what's wrong with America. . .Deeeeetroit." Another post shows images of Orthodox Jews with references to anti-Semitic stereotypes. Others posts include images of Hispanic immigrants stating that they will do "anything for papers," and one post suggesting that wet electronic devices be left in rice to "attract Asians to fix your electronics."
Other posts include images of individuals of Muslim and Arabic descent with images of camels and captions including "They're all terrorists” and references to bestiality. Included in his posts, Captain Goodman states that he is a "Real American," because he "Drinks Beer and Carries a Gun. Eats bacon and not Humus. Drives a car, not a camel, and believes that goats are livestock and not wives."
“It is exactly this type of xenophobic and racist atmosphere perpetrated at the City of Detroit Fire Department that led CAIR-MI to file a recent EEOC complaint on behalf of a paramedic,” said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney Amy Doukoure. "No civil servant who risks their life to save others should be subjected to explicit and implicit racism and xenophobia in the workplace.”
Executive Fire Commissioner Eric Jones has released the following statement in response to the allegations:
"The Detroit Fire Department prides itself on the delivery of service regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or religious affiliation. The current matters brought to light through the Council on American-Islamic Relations are profoundly disturbing and are already under investigation. The employee that published the offensive Facebook posts has been placed on administrative leave without pay. The City of Detroit has a zero tolerance policy against any and all discrimination. Employees of the Detroit Fire Department are expected to adhere to that policy without fail."
Since the revelation on Tuesday, Captain Trim Goodman has been placed on leave from his duty.