Wisconsin Police Remove Reference to God in Oath after Complaint from Atheist Group

A police department in Wisconsin, U.S.A. recently removed references to God in its officer's oath and code of ethics after receiving a complaint from an atheist group.

In a report on Christian News, Police Chief Patrick Mitchell from the city of West Allis confirmed that the police department's code of ethics has been "modified" to drop the phrase "before God."

He added that the police department also decided to just use the exact wording of the code of ethics and office's oath as prescribed by the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

This police department's code of ethics and oath used to read: "I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession ... law enforcement."

The atheist organisation Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter to the police department claiming that an unnamed "concerned local resident" had contacted them to point out the reference to God in the oath and code of ethics.

The FFRF argued that citing God in both the code and oath violates the U.S. Constitution, because it puts forth a religious condition for serving the public, which is supposedly prohibited under Article VI of the American charter.

"Altering a mandatory oath to require West Allis law enforcement officers to dedicate themselves 'before God' is unconstitutional. There is no legitimate reason to add a religious phrase into a state-mandated secular oath," the group said in its letter.

It added that the West Allis police department should have also considered officers who are not Christians, or do not subscribe to any organised form of religion.

"Officers who do not believe in God should not be forced to choose between swearing to a religious oath against their conscience or outing themselves as nonbelievers by refusing to recite the oath as written," the atheist group stated.