Mill Creek police ceremoniously burn stolen, damaged US flag

Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 9, 2017

MILL CREEK — Mill Creek police honored the American flag with a disposal ceremony after vandals lit it on fire overnight.

Early Thursday morning, a Mill Creek man spotted two people, both males believed to be in their late teens or early 20s, burning a flag. They’d stolen the flag from a home, hung it from a basketball hoop, and were in process of setting it on fire, police said in a press release.

The man chased the suspects but couldn’t catch them. He then notified police.

“The Constitution protects flag burning as freedom of speech,” said Mill Creek Police Sgt. Bobby Phillips. “However, in this situation, it was not free speech, but rather reckless and criminal behavior.”

The flag was not destroyed by the vandals, but it couldn’t be repaired. The U.S. FlagCode states, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”

The police brought the flag back to the police station and intended to turn it over to the VFW for proper disposal. However, at the 6 a.m. crew change, the decision was made to conduct the disposal immediately. A small contingent of on-duty police sergeants, officers and detectives gathered for the ceremony behind Mill Creek City Hall.

The ceremony included folding the flag into a customary triangle shape. A fire was prepared to sufficiently burn the flag completely. The flag was placed in the fire and while it burned, the contingent stood at attention while saluting. The ceremony concluded with a moment of silence. The flag’s ashes then were buried behind City Hall.

“Many of our crew have fought for that flag in service to their country,” said Phillips. “We take very seriously our obligation to honor the flag.”