Recruit, Rastafarian man says Gary Police Department fired him because of his hair, after being sworn-in
A man says he was fired last month from the Gary Police Department because of his hair.
He practices the Rastafari faith, and says cutting his hair goes against his religion.
In an exclusive story, Chance Johnson told ABC7 Chicago I-Team reporter Samantha Chatman Gary's police chief gave him an ultimatum days after he was sworn in: Cut your braids in 24 hours, or be terminated.
He says he thought the department would allow him to keep his hair because of his religion, but he was fired the next day.
Now, he's calling for change and his job back.
Johnson has been growing his cornrow braids for more than four years. They're the subject of what he calls an unjust move by the Gary Police Department.
"It represents strength. And it allows me to represent my faith and myself as a person," Johnson said. "When Black people were brought over to America, one of the first things that was done was their hair was cut off to strip them from their identity."
Johnson, his wife and four kids moved from Dallas to Gary for the officer position.
He says he passed every test and was offered the job.
"I wanted to be that officer that if I'm seeing something wrong going on, I can step in and do the right thing," Johnson said.
A Gary City Council member posted a photo on Facebook, showing Johnson and the new recruits during their swearing-in ceremony in July.
That day, Johnson says the commander told him the chief had a problem with his hair.
"I said, 'OK sir. I had no idea this could be a problem, but I do have a religious accommodation form.' He just said, 'OK, I'll talk to you after the ceremony,'" Johnson said.
Johnson says he contacted human resources right away to seek a religious accommodation to keep his hair.
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About a week later, Johnson says the police chief scheduled a meeting with him, stating he had 24 hours to cut his braids, or he'd be terminated, citing safety reasons.
"Sir, if it's about safety, then why did the females get to keep their hair? He told me he didn't have to answer my questions, and now this is getting to be more of an argument, and he wasn't having it," Johnson said.
Johnson says he was fired the next day.
He believes his civil rights were violated, citing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Title VII prohibits private, state and local government employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating on the basis of race, sex national origin and religion.
"He said that in the state of Indiana, they don't have to accommodate religious requests. I never heard of anything like that," Johnson said.
A spokesperson for the city of Gary said, "the city of Gary can confirm this is a personnel matter that we are reviewing. We are committed to fair treatment of all employees and compliance with applicable employment laws."
Johnson says he wants Gary PD to be held accountable, and he also wants his job back, but not if it means cutting his hair.
"It's nice, neat and professional-looking," he said. "I don't think anybody should be terminated for their religious beliefs, especially when it's not doing harm to anybody around them."
Johnson says he hasn't heard from the Gary Police Department since he was fired last month, but is still hopeful for a resolution.
As for where things stand, the city of Gary said it cannot provide additional details about individual personnel matters at this time.
