I am a 25 year-plus veteran of the United States Army. I received some outrageous news on Oct. 14 that [Police Chief] Signer and the deputy chief of the Ithaca Police Department have decided, in their wisdom, to remove the U.S. flag from the police uniform and put a police patch in place of it.
What do they think they are doing? In this time of war, turmoil and the World Trade Center tragedy not far behind us, it is ludicrous to remove the flag. Ms. Signer may not know what the flag represents to a veteran.
The men and women of the police force have been told that if they do not remove the flag they will be charged with gross insubordination.
In checking this out before writing, I was told that a small pin (which inaccurately depicts the American flag) will be put on the uniform and that because the city buys the uniforms, the "chief can do as she wants."
