NATCHEZ — Two Natchez police officers indicted on federal civil rights violations will no longer be paid while they wait for their February trials.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen voted unanimously at a special meeting Tuesday to suspend officers Elvis Prater, 35, and Dewayne Johnson, 32, without pay.

Mayor Jake Middleton said the board decided keeping the officers on paid leave was not a wise use of tax dollars. He said the officers’ trial continuance contributed to the decision.

Prater and Johnson’s original Oct. 4 trial date was continued on Oct. 1 until February.

If the court proves the officers innocent and Prater and Johnson are reinstated, they will receive back pay for the time during their absence, Middleton said.

Ward 2 Alderman James “Ricky” Gray said he supports the board’s decision to revoke the officers’ pay until the trial but hopes the decision was not based on pressure from the public.

“We shouldn’t react on the situation because we read it in the newspaper or get some calls. We should do it in the best interest of this city,” Gray said.

Gray, who is the board’s police commissioner, said he does not want the Natchez police department to feel the city is turning its back on them.

Gray said suspending the officers without pay is the right decision, but other problems exist with in the department that also need attention.

“I don’t feel the employees are being treated fairly. Some are treated differently from others and it is going to create problems.

“Until we address leadership of the police department I think (the Natchez Police Department) is going to continue to have these problems,” Gray said.

Following Gray’s comments, Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said she hoped the police department feels it still has the board’s support, despite the decision to suspend Prater and Johnson’s pay.

“They’re out here trying to make sure individuals are safe in Natchez,” Arceneaux-Mathis said.

“I don’t want (the NPD) to feel as soon as something comes up we’re going to cut (employees) loose and wean them out, because that’s going to give us a big morale problem within the police department,” Arceneaux-Mathis said.

She said the number of officers who have quit for other jobs might be a symptom of a feeling among the officers that they do not have the city government’s support.

Arceneaux-Mathis said she wants to invite any off-duty police officers to attend the Nov. 2 board meeting to allow the board to reassure them in person that the police department has the board’s support.

Prater and Johnson were indicted Aug. 20 on charges of civil rights violations and making false statements. Johnson was also indicted on one count of conspiracy. They were released on their own recognizance.

Both men face two counts of civil rights violations for the alleged May 2009 beating of two men they had reportedly arrested.

Prater faces one count of making false statements to federal investigators; Johnson faces two counts of the same charge.

Johnson also faces one count of conspiracy that alleges he stole credit and debit cards from the arrested man, obtained the PIN for the cards from the victim and called a relative to meet him at a store. Johnson reportedly told Patricia Wilson to use one of the cards to make purchases, including beer for a party he was planning.

Both men were have been on administrative paid leave since their arrests in August.