IRVINE : Police Show Flag as Support Symbol

City police officers this week demonstrated their support for the troops in the Persian Gulf at a formal outdoor ceremony establishing the American flag as part of each employee’s uniform.

At the ceremony, a flag guard walked the length of the Police Department parking lot while a detail of 19 officers and other employees stood at attention. Police Chief Leo E. Peart pinned a ceremonial “first pin” on an officer.

Most employees were already wearing the enamel flag pins, and flag decals have been placed on each police vehicle.

“We’re proud to display the symbolism of our support for the troops,” Peart said.

Police Sgt. Phil Povey noted that the pin was not mandatory. “We’re not going to force anybody to wear it,” he said.

At the ceremony, Lt. Patrick A. Rogers, president of the Police Officers’ Assn., presented a $1,000 check to the El Toro branch of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. “While the magnitude of this presentation may largely be symbolic, be assured it comes from the heart,” Rogers said.

Duane F. Newton, executive director of the relief society, accepted the check, noting that the local chapter disbursed more than $1 million in grants and interest-free loans last year to needy Navy and Marine families. He said that requests had increased by 30% locally since the outbreak of the conflict and he expects them to continue to mount.

Most of the assistance money comes from service people who donate a small portion of their paychecks. In addition to offering financial assistance, the society has a thrift shop and provides a visiting nurse and free layette service for new mothers.