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Representation. A police car. IBTimes

KEY POINTS

  • The town of Vincent has dissolved its three-member police department
  • Two officers have been fired
  • Shelby County Sheriff's Office will provide emergency law enforcement services to the town

A small town in Alabama has disbanded its police department after a racist text message allegedly sent by one of the officers surfaced online.

The town of Vincent closed down the police department and fired two officers – Police Chief James Srygley and Assistant Chief John L. Gos – after a racist text sent by an officer from the department surfaced on social media last week, NY Post reported.

"What do y'all call a pregnant slave? ... BOGO Buy one, get one free," the unidentified officer allegedly said in the text message, according to reports.

"We passed a resolution with intent to pass an ordinance to disband the police department," Mayor James Latimore said while announcing the decision to dissolve the three-member police department, AL.com reported.

Latimore initially placed the officers on suspension but the city council later voted to dissolve the department and terminate the employees.

Hours after the two officers were terminated and the decision to dissolve was announced, the third officer from the department, Lee Carden, turned in his resignation through text message, news outlet NPR reported.

"This has torn this community apart. It doesn't matter what color we are as long as we d right by people," City Councilman Corey Abrams reportedly said during the council meeting.

However, Abrams declined to describe the details of the action taken during the meeting. "I'm still emotional about it," he added.

Shelby County Sheriff's Office condemned the misconduct within the Vincent police department and said it would help out the town with emergency law enforcement services.

The office "stands with the city of Vincent in providing emergency law enforcement-related services for the citizens during this time. All communication and correspondence relating to this matter should be directed to the city of Vincent and not to the Shelby County Sheriff's office," Sheriff John Samaniego said in a news release.

The town of Vincent has fewer than 2,000 people and is located in Shelby, St. Clair, and Talladega counties.