Four fired New Carrollton police officers are suing city and police officials, saying they were wrongfully dismissed after coming forward about alleged illegal activities in the department.

The four officers say they were fired “for reporting illegal actions engaged in by other employees of the New Carollton Police Department, including illegal activities engaged in by the police officers’ superiors,” according to the lawsuit.

The suit names Mayor Andrew Hanko, City Administrator Michael Downes and Police Chief David Rice as defendants.

The suit, which was first reported by Fox 5, also alleges that the officers were forced to sign resignation letters after receiving retaliatory threats from superiors.