A police chief in Louisiana has been accused of forcing religion on officers and citing “God’s will” to justify questionable promotions in a new lawsuit. So far, two former Port Allen police officers have filed federal civil-rights cases against both the Port Allen Police Department and Police Chief Esdron Brown, alleging that Brown sought to force religion on them, The Advocate reports. Robert Cannon Jr., who resigned from the Port Allen Police Department in April, alleges that Brown’s stress on religion and meetings geared toward religion created a hostile work environment. Cannon’s suit, filed last week, also reportedly maintained that Brown violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by refusing to comply with a reasonable medical accommodation for him while out on patrol. In June, Patrick Marshall, another former officer, filed a similar case against the department and Brown, claiming the chief tried to force him to attend mandatory religious counseling meetings. When the officer declined, Brown allegedly threatened job suspension or termination, TheAdvocate reports.
