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Police Officer Suspended for Displaying "Oath Keepers" Hat

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Anne Arundel County police say an officer has been suspended for displaying a hat bearing the name of an anti-government group in a cruiser.

Media outlets report that department spokesman Lt. Ryan Frashure confirmed Tuesday that the officer's police powers were suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation. A photo of the hat, which displayed the name "Oath Keepers," was shared with the department Monday after it was spotted in a grocery store parking lot.

The organization is made up of current and former military and police who vow to uphold the Constitution, but it has caught the attention of hate-watch groups.

Chief Timothy Altomare says the hat appears to violate the department's policy against officers espousing political beliefs and such conduct won't be tolerated.

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Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.