Anniston partners with Justice Department to address race related issues

The city of Anniston announced Friday a partnership with the U.S. Justice Department to train police officers to be more racially sensitive and to improve community dialogue on race-related issues.

The announcement came a week after City Manager Brian Johnson fired one police officer and accepted the retirement of another for their ties to a Southern secessionist organization some civil rights advocates say is a hate group.

In a Friday press release, the city announced its partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Relations Service. Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the service is the only federal agency dedicated to helping state and local governments, private and public organizations, and community groups prevent and resolve racial and ethnic tensions, civil disorder based on race, color, or national origin, and to address and prevent hate crimes, according to the Justice Department's website. The services are provided for free.

Johnson fired Lt. Josh Doggrell and accepted the retirement of Lt. Wayne Brown June 19. The decision came after a nearly three-day investigation into the officers' involvement with the Alabama-based League of the South.