Black officers want immediate ban on domelights.com website

Lawyers for a black police officer's organization plan to ask a federal judge for an immediate injuction banning all Philadelphia officers from using the website domelights.com while at work.

The Guardian Civic League sued the Police Department, the website and its founder last week in federal court, charging the site contains hostile, racist material.

The league has called a news conference for this afternoon to discuss plans to ask U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia Rufe for an expedited hearing.

The league said that white officers post to the website and moderate it while on duty using department computers, creating a hostile work environment for black officers.

Domelights was founded by an active duty sergeant who uses the screen name "McQ," and is believed to be Sgt. Fred McQuiggan.

McQ said last week in a posting to the site that he never monitors domelights while on duty and that he has never received a complaint about its content.

He also said that he rejects racist and sexist remarks, but he supports the right of people to express them.

"I own the slate on which everybody is encouraged to write," he said.

Civic league attorneys want an injunction directing the Police Department to ban officers from using the site at work and from posting racist material - on or off duty.

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