West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has ordered the firing of more than two dozen corrections officer trainees who were photographed as the group held their arms up in an apparent Nazi salute.
The photo released Thursday by the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety shows about 30 uniformed men and women seated in a basic training class that was held between Oct. 21 and Nov. 27. The phrase "Hail Byrd!" appears at the top of the image, which an agency spokesman said was a reference to one of the training program's instructors. The faces of each person in the photograph are blurred out.
News of the photo first was reported by WSAZ, an NBC affiliate in Kanawha County.
The station said Friday that only a cadet and two academy trainers had been fired so far, and that 34 others had been suspended without pay.
Justice issued a statement Thursday condemning the photo and ordering the firing of those involved.
“This will not be tolerated on my watch — within the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation — or within any agency of state government,” Justice said.
Credit: Chris Dorst
Credit: Chris Dorst
"I have directed Secretary Jeff Sandy of the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety to continue actively investigating this incident, and I have ordered the termination of all those that are found to be involved in this conduct."
In an earlier memo to employees at the facility, Sandy wrote the photo was "distasteful, hurtful, disturbing, highly insensitive and completely inappropriate."
Sandy ordered all copies of the picture destroyed or taken out of circulation.
An investigation is continuing.
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