The City of Anniston has placed two police officers on administrative leave over allegations that the two belong to hate groups.

The Southern Poverty Law Center Wednesday posted on its Hatewatch blog an article alleging that Lt. Josh Doggrell and Lt. Wayne Brown had ties to the League of the South, an organization the SPLC termed as "neo-confederate."

The SPLC identifies the term as meaning groups that advocate "traditional gender roles, ... hostile towards democracy, strongly opposes homosexuality, and exhibits an understanding of race that favors segregation and suggests white supremacy."

In a statement this afternoon, the city announced the two were being placed on leave. Aziza Jackson, a spokeswoman for the city, said she did not know if the two were on paid or unpaid administrative leave.

"After being made aware of the Wednesday, June 17 article by the SPLC, the City of Anniston is taking the allegations made against Lt. Brown and Lt. Doggrell very seriously and have placed both officers on administrative leave," the statement reads.

"Lt. Brown and Lt. Doggrell do not speak for the City of Anniston nor the Anniston Police Department. The City of Anniston has commenced an investigation into this matter and will work diligently to ensure the appropriate action is taken," the statement concludes.

Most of the SPLC story dealt with Doggrell's ties to the LOS, with only a mention of Brown joining Doggrell at a LOS conference.

In the SPLC post and video, Doggrell is quoted as saying that, during a department interview in which he mentioned his ties to the group, he told officials, "I'm not going to sell out my position with the League, as something I believe in strongly. If it came down to it, I'd choose the League."

According to Doggrell, the chief responded, "We pretty much think like you do." It was not clear from the statement when this encounter occurred, or who the police chief would have been.

The post also quotes Anniston City Manager Brian Johnson as saying the city "could not terminate an employee solely on his or her membership in a legal, lawfully formed, civic club or organization."

Anniston city officials referred media members to the city's released statement.