A group of police in Vallejo, California, who were part of a “secretive clique” engaged in grotesque rituals after each of the precincts’ fatal shootings, a former captain alleges. NBC News reports that the group allegedly gathered to celebrate the deaths of suspects by holding backyard barbecues and bending the tips of their star-shaped badges. The accusation comes from former Vallejo police captain John Whitney, who was fired a year ago after 19 years on the force. Several police officers named by Whitney have denied taking part. The Vallejo police department has one of the highest number of fatal police shootings in California.