Some Elk Grove Residents Push Back Against 'Thin Blue Line' Flags
ELK GROVE (CBS13) - Some Elk Grove residents are split over a flag intended to honor police officers. Some want the city to reconsider putting them up next year.
"The things that they do for us that go unseen every day, people take for granted," said Kristen Millard, founder of Blue Angel of Hope.
Millard discovered the Thin Blue Line Flags and decided to send them to families all across the country, many whom have lost a loved one in the line of duty.
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"The black lines are for officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty," Millard said. "The blue line is for officers currently serving."
Back in May, the city of Elk Grove displayed the flags during National Police Week. A nonprofit called the Elk Grove Police Department Explorer Program bought 90 flags and donated them to the city. Officer Chris Trimm from the Elk Grove Police Department said some people were happy to see the flags flying in support of the men in blue, while others had concerns.
"I was confused," said Vietnam veteran Larry Sahota. "I didn't know what it was at first when I looked at it."
He says the flag is a violation of U.S flag code and believes it should not fly on city property.
"It's an altering of the American flag and the only person that can alter the national flag is the President of the United States," Sahota said.
"We had a lot of input from different people on both sides of the fence," Trimm said. "Moving forward, that information which was provided to the city and to the police department will be reviewed at a later date."
But Trimm and Sahota agree, before the flags go up again, the city needs to make sure residents know exactly what they represent.
"We can get more education on it so that everyone understands what it's all about," Sahota said. "We'll find out what place it has in the future of Elk Grove."
Sahota says he suggests the flags be placed in front of homes and on private property. But the city says the discussion on whether or not these flags will go up again will likely not happen until next year.