Amid swirling reports of sexual misconduct allegations against Senate candidate Roy Moore, an Alabama police chief on Tuesday was suspended for "sarcastic" comments he posted on Facebook about sexual harassment. He also made what he called a joke about Moore's opponent in the upcoming election, Democrat Doug Jones, who the police chief accused of "fondling him" in 1978.

Police Chief Bryan Hammond of the small town of Killen, Alabama, said on Facebook that "silence is consent" regarding people overlooking accusations from the opposing side of sexual harassment allegations. He then claimed that Jones had touched him inappropriately as a boy two decades ago, the Birmingham News reported Tuesday. His comments later went viral and caused an uproar on social media. After Hammond received backlash, he stated that his opinion was just "sarcasm."

However, Mayor Tim Tubbs said he has suspended Hammond for 15 days without pay as punishment.

"On another note, Doug Jones fondled me on a boy scout camping trip in 1978," Hammond wrote on Facebook. "I wasn't gonna say anything, but I just couldn't stand the thought of him being a senator. I was ok with it until now. By the way, you can't see me right now but I'm crying as I type this."

Hammond also added a photo of a handwritten yearbook note he claimed was written by Jones that read: "Bryan, Thanks for the great time camping. Doug Jones."

Hammond claimed none of this was true and that he had been joking around with a Facebook friend about a post regarding Moore and Jones, the Birmingham News reported.

"One of the others misunderstood the intent of that phrase, so I clarified what my intent was immediately after," Hammond said. "After explaining that it was in reference to the shoe being on the other foot, I gave an example by producing a similar example using the other candidate. I joked back and forth with my friend over the comment, and we discussed the joke later during a phone conversation.

"I never meant for the comments to be taken seriously, they were meant only as a joke with a friend. I've learned from this experience to refrain from any discussion that could be offensive to anyone who might read it, even if the comments were not intended as a public post."

Hammond's 15-day suspension will end Dec. 3 and he will return to his post on Dec. 6, Tubbs said.

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