American flag graphic on police cars divides California town

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. – The hue and cry over the placement of a bright American flag graphic on police cars has leaders in a small coastal Southern California city considering whether to tone down the design.

The Laguna Beach City Council will decide Tuesday night whether to keep the current logo or choose an alternative.

Some residents feel the red, white and blue design is too aggressive while others are surprised anyone would object to the American flag.

Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow told the Los Angeles Times the council is simply facing “a very narrow decision” about the brightness of the colors, but that the issue has devolved into a broader national conversation about patriotism.

He said he has received hundreds of emails from people around the country, mostly in support of keeping the flag designs on the car.

The council agreed earlier this year to repaint its squad cars in black and white with the stars and stripes running through the word “police” on the doors. The city has 11 police vehicles.

The proposed graphic the council approved in February was a more muted version of the design that now appears on the cars.

“Clearly, the way it looks on the car is not what anyone expected it to look like,” Dicterow said. “I think it’s reasonable that we’re going to look at it again so that whatever we (approve) is exactly what we put on the car.”