From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
JASPER — Four Jasper police officers have been suspended for making hand gestures while posing for a photo. Jasper’s Mayor, David O’Mary said that some people claimed the circular gesture was racist.
According to ABC 33/40 News, the O’Mary said some have claimed the gesture expresses “white power.” Other Jasper residents see differently.
Some are saying the the gesture is used in the child-like game known as the “circle game,” which tricks the other person to look at the circle gesture displayed below their waist.
The photo was was captured last week after an arrest by the department’s drug terrorism task force in the Frisco community. The photo was captured by the mayor because he wanted the officers to receive credit for their work.
“That’s contradictory to how we run our city. That’s not our mindset. That’s not the way we do things and they used poor judgement.”
The officers, whose names have not been made public, have been suspended two weeks and lose a week of pay. The Mayor explains his decision.
“We talked to two senior African-American law enforcement officers that are on the City of Jasper’s payroll and they think it’s fair and that’s a pretty good sounding board.”
