Police probe threats to black officers leader

Philadelphia police are investigating threats directed toward the president of a black officers league after her organization accused the website domelights.com of hosting racist material.

After the Guardian Civic League sued domelights last week in federal court, several postings on the website personally attacked President Rochelle Bilal.

One said she "deserves to be gang-raped."

Bilal, a sworn officer who works in narcotics intelligence, has been assigned officers from the dignitary protection unit to guard her while the investigation is conducted.

Two uniformed officers accompanied Bilal Wednesday night, when she attended a meeting at the Guardian Civic League headquarters.

Lt. Frank Venore, a police spokesman, said the investigation is to "determine if the threat requires any further police action."

Domelights, which is administered by an active duty police sergeant, had been a public forum until this week, when access was restricted to registered users.

While the site is commonly seen as a forum for police to discuss crime news and gossip, not all of its members are active duty officers.

"If the person making the threat is identified, they will face the same action criminally" whether it's an officer or a civilian, Vanore said.

Commissioner Charles Ramsey initiated the investigation, Vanore said. Bilal did not make a complaint.

"The commissioner felt that he wanted to do an assessment," Vanore said. "He doesn't like to take any chances."

The dignitary protection officers guarding Bilal work out of the Homeland Security Unit. Vanore said it's not uncommon for officers and politicians to receive threats that require an assessment and protection.

Guardian Civic League attorney Brian Mildenberg, who said he would speak for Bilal on this matter, said he was aware of the investigation but he did not want to comment further.

Bilal previously described those who posted comments about her as "cowards" and said Wednesday that she "definitely" wants to see the site taken down.

Domelights has long been reviled by black officers, who view it as a forum for racist rants, according to the lawsuit. White officers have posted to domelights while on duty, creating a hostile work environment for black officers, the suit said.

The police department and the city both have blocked access to domelights from their computers since the class action suit was filed.

The guardian league also is seeking a ban on officers posting racially offensive material, even on their own time.

The sergeant who founded the site said in a posting shortly after the suit was filed that he disavows any racist or sexist comments on the site and that he never administers domelights while on duty.

The sergeant uses the screen name McQ, but his profile on domelights contains the name Fred McQuiggan, a sergeant who works at police headquarters.

McQuiggan wrote a letter to the editor published in the Inquirer in 2004 that included his domelights e-mail. He has not responded to several e-mails to that address.

In his recent postings to domelights, McQ said he would not comment further on the lawsuit.

Mildenberg said the site creates a public safety issue because "it makes it more difficult for officers to do their jobs."

He also said McQ, as a police officer, "clearly should have realized there are some questionable characters" posting on domelights.

Contact staff writer Troy Graham at 215-854-2730 or tgraham@phillynews.com.