The group Freedom From Religion complains about prayer on duty by the Birmingham Police Department

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Birmingham Police Department to stop what it calls the “unconstitutional practice of conducting coercive department-sponsored religious ceremonies.”

The group, based in Madison, Wis., issued a statement Wednesday, saying several concerned Birmingham residents, including a department employee, told the state/church watchdog that the department regularly invites a pastor from the local Baptist church to “proselytize, read passages from the Bible. and lead devotionals and prayers during mandatory staff calls.”

The group said the lead complainant reported that when the pastor is not there, another officer leads a Christian prayer for all employees present.

“The complainant reported feeling uncomfortable being required to participate in religious worship as part of their service,” FFR said. “The department bragged about this department-sponsored religious coercion on official social media pages.”

Birmingham police deferred comment to the Birmingham mayor’s office. Efforts to get comment from city officials were not immediately successful.

The group included an April 17 post on X by the department that read: “Starting Roll Call Wednesday at West Precinct. Every day our officers come together to receive their duty assignments and pray for a safe shift before they go and serve Birmingham. Our officers enjoy this time with each other.”

FFR requests that the department refrain from including religious worship, Bible readings, devotionals or prayers at future staff meetings in order to respect the First Amendment rights of all Department employees,” FFRF attorney Chris Line wrote in a letter to the police chief of Birmingham, Scott. Thurmond.

The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment—which protects Americans’ religious freedom by ensuring the continued separation of religion and government—dictates that the government cannot in any way show favoritism toward religion or coerce belief or participation in religion. Department employees are free to pray privately or worship on their own time, in their own way. However, religious worship cannot be imposed on all employees, FFR wrote.

“This coercive practice excludes and alienates those employees who are among the nearly 30 percent of American adults who are not religiously affiliated, as well as the additional 6 percent of Americans who adhere to non-Christian faiths,” according to the statement. “To comply with the First Amendment, the department must immediately end this unconstitutional practice.”

“An open profession of Christianity or any religion by an entity sworn to serve and protect is unconstitutional and divisive,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “The Birmingham Police Department serves all residents of the city, not just Christians.”

In March, the group sent a letter of complaint to Oak Grove High School in western Jefferson County alleging religious coercion on the football team.

The religious motto, “God, Team, Me” was posted in the team’s locker room and on the team’s official jerseys, according to the group’s complaint.

The group earlier this year took credit for having a Bible verse painted on the side of a dugout removed from the Mobile County school system.

In 2023, the group criticized Auburn University for an event that featured head football coach Hugh Freeze and other prominent Auburn figures baptizing students.