AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — An Aurora police officer has been placed on paid leave for an email he wrote to union members as president of the Aurora Police Association.

Doug Wilkinson wrote about the consent decree between the City of Aurora and the state attorney general following the Elijah McClain case.

In an email to his 270 union members, Wilkinson complained about diversity efforts to increase female and minority representation in the department.

To match the diversity of the community, Wilkinson wrote:

”We could make sure to hire 10% illegal aliens, 50% weed smokers, 10% crackheads, and a few child molesters and murderers to round it out. You know, so we can make the department to look like the ‘community.'”

Wilkinson went on to complain about left-leaning “identity politics” and wrote the department should “focus on intelligence, personal ethics, and courage, which should be our only criteria for hiring and promotion. We should only be interested in merit. but that will never do. they’re addicted to race and sex politics.”

The police department said several employees complained to the city’s human resources department, which is now investigating.

Chief Vanessa Wilson said she “is very concerned about the allegations” and reminds everyone that the Aurora Police Association does not speak for the police department and is not the recognized bargaining unit with the City of Aurora.

The APA has 439 members, which is fewer than the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents the department in union negotiations.

Wilkinson responded to FOX31 with this statement:

I’m not allowed to comment on the admin leave issue.

I stand by the email.  We should be hiring, promoting, and assigning people based on the content of their character, not the color of their skin.