Ohio Mayor Backs Head-Scarf Ban for Police

Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman said he supports Police Chief Kim Jacobs’ decision to keep officers from wearing head scarves for religious reasons.

But he said the city will try harder to recruit immigrants to the force, including by appealing to the families of potential applicants.

“I’ve said this to our chief and safety director, to step up our efforts in this area,” Coleman said in an interview last week. “I strongly believe that our police force needs to be reflective of every corner of our city.”

The issue came to the forefront after The Dispatch wrote in April about Ismahan Isse, a Somali-American and Muslim woman who left the Columbus police academy in March because of the head-scarf ban.

Isse said at the time that her scarf, or hijab, is important to her identity. She said she would like to return to the academy because her dream has been to become a police officer.

Columbus police leaders said in June that they would keep the head-scarf prohibition because they want the division to be perceived as a nonpolitical, nonreligious organization and that the uniform should reflect that neutrality. Officials also said that scarves could pose safety problems.

“When officers go out into the community, they should be identified as Columbus police officers, not Muslim police officers, not Christian police officers, not Jewish police officers, not Hindus, Baptists or anything else,” Coleman said.

Jacobs agrees. “I want whoever pulls up to the scene as being recognized as a Columbus police officer that doesn’t turn anyone off,” she said.

officer.com