Police Retain Religion Patches
Officials of Lenoir City say a patch that includes the word “religion” will remain on police uniforms.
The Knoxville News Sentinel (http://bit.ly/H5xjHV ) reported Mayor Tony Aikens told a large crowd at the city council meeting Monday night the city will not yield to the Freedom from Religion Foundation’s demand that the patch no longer be displayed.
In an exchange of letters over the past few weeks, the Madison, Wisc.-based secular organization has said the patches violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The foundation has threatened legal action to prevent continued display of the patches.
The council voted unanimously to send the group a letter drafted by City Attorney James Scott. In it, the city says it is not endorsing nor discriminating against any religious faith.
