The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office took a novel approach to the festive period this year by adorning their tree with mugshots of criminals captured over the year.

“We have decorated our Tree with THUGSHOTS to show how many Thugs we have taken off the streets of Mobile this year! We could not have done it without our faithful followers!” TEAM SHERIFF of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office wrote on their Facebook page on Thursday.

The post continues to advertise a tongue-in-cheek “special Christmas offer.”

“Throughout the month of December we are offering ALL MOBILE COUNTY THUGS a special Christmas offer. Come to 510 South Royal Street and you will get to pick out one item from our property room!” the post reads. “That’s right … any of the things that your friend THUGS have stolen will be available for you!”

The Sheriff’s Office then jokes that offenders will be escorted by their “very own personal concierge” to the “Metro Deluxe” for a custom fitting of a “Holiday Jumpsuit.”

The post ends by urging the public to contact the Sheriff’s Office if they recognize anyone pictured on the tree.

However, many from the Mobile area were less than impressed, calling the stunt “unprofessional” and “disgusting.”

“I think this is in poor taste,” one woman replied. “Way to be great leaders of the community!”

“As a Mobilian, I’m really disappointed in you guys,” another woman said. “Someone’s terrible choices are not for entertainment. There is a more effective way to hold people accountable for their actions in the eyes of the law.”

Others offered more pragmatic advice. “If you don’t want to have your mugshot on a Christmas tree, don’t break the law,” one person wrote.

Newsweek has contacted the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

It’s not the first time a police department has come under public scrutiny for inappropriately decorating their Christmas tree.

The commander of a Minneapolis police department was demoted after a photo of the Christmas tree surfaced on social media.

Many felt the decorations used carried racial stereotypes such as police tape, a can of malt liquor, a bag of Takis, a pack of cigarettes, a bag of Funyuns and a cup from Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

Commander of the North Minneapolis’ Fourth Precinct and Inspector Andrew Biard was subsequently demoted.

Biard said he was “ashamed and appalled” over the decorations and said the behavior did not represent the department’s values.

The department did not identify the officers involved in the decor, but it is believed two 21-year-old officers decorated the Christmas tree.