A divisive debate has arisen in a Connecticut town after the council voted against raising the “thin blue line” flag in honor of a state trooper killed while on duty. Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier, a father of two, was killed during a routine traffic stop when a pickup truck swerved, hit his police vehicle, and then him.
In memory of Trooper Pelletier, Republican Council Member Rich Bailey proposed raising the American Blue Line flag at half-mast. He stated that to him and his home, the flag symbolized the protection provided by the police. However, the proposal was rejected by a 5-3 vote in the council.
One reason cited for the rejection was municipal law, which requires a 30-day notice before raising a flag. However, other council members viewed the thin blue line flag as a divisive symbol and representative of “hate,” as Councilwoman Emily Zambrello stated. Instead, they lowered the previously raise “pride” flag to half mast.
Bailey dismissed a compromise idea to raise a flag honoring all first responders, asserting that the intention was only to respect the fallen police officer. As for the suspect of the fatal crash, Alex Oyola-Sanchez, he has been accused of various severe charges, including second-degree vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run resulting in death, and is presently in custody.
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