Williamstown Says They Can’t Fire Cop Over Hitler Picture

Recently, a Massachusetts select board made the ruling that it does not have the authority or grounds to fire a Williamstown police officer who kept a photo of Adolph Hitler in his locker for 20 years.

According to the Berkshire Eagle, Andrew Hogeland of the Williamstown Select Board said in a statement that while the picture of Adolph Hitler in Officer Craig Eichhammer's locker is very offensive, the board does not have the permission to fire him.

The board also said that the demands on firing Eichhammer are valid. The Berkshire County branch of the NAACP along with other groups have condemned Eichhammer's actions and called for his termination.

For his part, Eichhammer, a 31-year veteran of the department, said that he hung the photo to make fun of a fellow officer who had a haircut and mustache that resembled Hitler.

Hogeland, in a letter to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said this:

Though we understand the pain and fear that underlie the advocacy of some of our residents for termination, our understanding of the facts and applicable law is that the Select Board has no jurisdiction to reverse or modify those decisions. So there is no doubt: we understand, and agree, that an officer having a photo of Hitler in a police locker is unacceptable and is highly offensive to the community.

For more on the story, please visit the Berkshire Eagle's website here.