Lieutenant T.C. Faulconer is out of a job in Sevierville after a social media comment about an attack on U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar cost him his badge overnight.
The Sevierville Police Department says Faulconer resigned Thursday morning, just hours after he was placed on administrative leave while the city opened an internal review into his conduct. His resignation was effective immediately.
Department Releases Statement
In a post on the department’s official Facebook page, Sevierville police said they were alerted Wednesday morning to a comment Faulconer made on a WVLT-TV Knoxville Facebook post about the Minneapolis incident involving Omar. The agency said it opened an internal investigation that same day.
According to the statement, Chief Joseph Manning removed Faulconer from duty at 6 p.m. Wednesday and placed him on administrative leave while the inquiry moved forward.
“Comments of this nature are inconsistent with the standards and expectations of the Sevierville Police Department, particularly when directed toward an elected public official,” Manning wrote in the Facebook post. “Such remarks are not acceptable under my leadership and do not reflect the values or professionalism of our officers or the department as a whole,” the statement continued.
Local Coverage
Local station WVLT published the department’s release and confirmed the timeline. The outlet reported that Faulconer was placed on leave Wednesday evening and turned in his resignation Thursday morning, and noted that his comment appeared under the station’s own Facebook post about the town hall incident.
National Context
The uproar traces back to a highly publicized town hall in Minneapolis, where a man allegedly sprayed Rep. Ilhan Omar with an acidic smelling liquid. Investigators later determined the substance was a mixture that included apple cider vinegar, and federal prosecutors have since brought charges, according to AP News. The attack has fueled national debate about escalating threats aimed at public officials.
Why It Matters Locally
Sevierville may be a small city, but its police department sits in the middle of a tourist hot zone. The City of Sevierville says the department serves roughly 18,000 residents along with millions of visitors each year, which local officials argue makes officers’ conduct on and off duty a matter of public image as well as public safety.
The Facebook post from the department stands as its official public statement on the incident. It does not include any additional personnel details beyond Faulconer’s leave and subsequent resignation.
