City officials let go of a volunteer chaplain who was with the Buena Park Police Department since 1998 after discovering social media posts he reposted or liked that characterized Muslim people as violent and falsely warned of a Muslim takeover of the United States.
Pastor Don Harbert, who also serves as pastor of The Way Fellowship in Buena Park, was released from his position on Jan. 28 after city officials reviewed his social media posts and determined he made “broad characterizations portraying Muslims as violent” and shared “demonstrably false and misleading claims,” according to a statement on Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut’s personal social media.
“Such conduct is inconsistent with the neutrality, trust, and respect required of individuals serving in city-affiliated public safety and ceremonial roles,” Traut’s statement continued.
Harbert posted about his removal on both his personal and church social media accounts on Saturday, Feb. 28. Traut issued his statement the same day.
Harbert said the posts don’t reflect his views and that he never meant to offend anyone. The posts, he said, were meant to start a dialogue among his more than 6,000 followers on Facebook, whom he said range in their political ideologies.
“I have people following me on the extreme left and the extreme right,” Harbert said. “I’m just trying to get people to communicate.”
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