John Butler hasn't started his job as Fairfax County fire chief yet, but an anonymous website that focuses on the county has started to display racist posts about him.

WASHINGTON — John Butler hasn’t started his job as Fairfax County fire chief yet, but an anonymous website that focuses on the county has started to display racist posts about him.

It’s the same website that included discussions of Fairfax County firefighter Nicole Mittendorff, before and after she died. And now the interim fire chief wants to make sure the racist posts aren’t coming from fire department employees.

Interim Chief John Caussin has sent an internal email reminding all staff they’re empowered to forward information about the author or authors of the offensive posts, and that anyone who does so will be kept anonymous.

In a statement, Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill has said any employee found to be posting racist, sexist, harassing or retaliatory comments will be subject to severe disciplinary action.

“It saddens me that in 2018 our country continues to deal with the hateful actions of a select few,” he said.

Currently the head of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Butler begins the job in Fairfax on Sept. 1. He told WTOP in an exclusive interview that the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will be a “dignified and respectful workplace for all.”

He has “respectfully declined” interview requests on the racist posts.

The email from Interim Chief Caussin was first reported on the blog STATter911: