The small city of Vincent in Alabama has disbanded its police force following the revelation of racist text messages exchanged between two of its officers.

In the exposed text messages, a user under the alias “752” asked, “What do y’all call a pregnant slave?” to which an unidentifiable person responded with question marks. The alias “752” then responded, “BOGO Buy one, get one free.” 

Entire police department terminated 

Earlier on Tuesday, chief of police, James Srygley, disclosed that the police department had undergone an internal investigation and that appropriate disciplinary action had been taken to handle the matter.

On Thursday, Srygley himself was identified and revealed as one of the terminated officers, alongside assistant chief John L Goss who was also terminated, which led the city council to vote for disbanding the whole department.

Shelby County sheriff’s office stated their condemning of these actions in the police field and that their office was aiding the citizens with emergency law enforcement services. 

The UK has seen similar patterns in its police quarters, such as London’s police chief Cressida Dick resigning last year due to a series of exchanged text messages involving racist behavior, rape, and misogyny.

Birthplace of civil rights movement 

The town’s population consists of about 2,000 as of 2021, with fewer than 500 African Americans and only eight Hispanic people. 

Vincent is located southeast of Birmingham, the birthplace of the civil rights movement, where Martin Luther King Jr. fought segregation policies and advocated for labor rights and socioeconomic and education equalities for African Americans. 

Read more: Black History Month: Black oppression in the United States