Maryland sheriff rips ban on 'thin blue line' flag: 'disgraceful and disrespectful'
The decision by a Maryland County Executive to ban a "thin blue line" flag has sparked outrage and was "disgraceful" said Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins on "Fox & Friends."
The decision by a Maryland county official to ban a "thin blue line" flag that was meant to honor local police officers has sparked outrage and was "disgraceful," said Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins on "Fox & Friends" Monday.
The flag was meant to honor National First Responders Day but was instead seen as a "symbol of dismissiveness" by local leaders, and was banned from "any public space within the police department" by Montgomery County executive Marc Elrich.
"I’m outraged," Jenkins told Fox News. "This is disgraceful. It's disrespectful. The county executive has become an embarrassment to Montgomery County. He shows a total lack of regard and respect for ... law enforcement ... [It's] totally outrageous."
Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted about the incident and also expressed his disgust, pushing for the decision to be reversed immediately.
"I’m offended and disgusted," he tweeted Sunday. "I have attended the funerals of fallen law officers across our state and I take time to thank them every day for their dedicated service and sacrifice. I strongly call on Mr. Elrich to immediately reverse this terrible decision and to apologize to the police and the citizens of Montgomery county."
'A NATIONAL DISGRACE': BONGINO CALLS OUT MARYLAND COUNTY EXEC FOR BANNING 'THIN BLUE LINE' FLAG
"We are proud to hang these Thin Blue Line flags in Government House to honor our brave law enforcement officers. A local elected official prohibiting police from displaying a flag given to them by a grateful child is disgraceful," Hogan continued.
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Jenkins said there is "very little chance" that Elrich will apologize for his decision, also taking issue with the decision to declare Montgomery County a "sanctuary" for illegal immigrants.
"He has really put the county citizens at risk. He's put them in danger... It’s really foolish."
Jenkins said that local morale was already under pressure and has taken yet another hit with this recent development. He also said the flag shouldn't evoke negative feelings, but rather feelings of pride and dedication.
"I see the dedication of the job that men and women do in law enforcement every day by going out there and... sometimes putting their lives at risk," he said. "They're dedicated. They're committed... Mr. Elrich doesn’t like anything about America, I don’t believe.
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"I go back to the fact — he has no respect for what law enforcement does," Jenkins continued. "This thin blue line is the difference between a civilized society and total chaos. And he has no regard for that whatsoever."
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