Portsmouth Sheriff furious with judges after being told to remove American flag display from...

Portsmouth, Va. – Portsmouth Sheriff Bill Watson says he is furious after a group of judges told him to take down an American flag display.

Sheriff Watson said his agency got the American flag display as a gift from members of the Portsmouth Fire Department a few weeks ago.

It’s made of old fire hoses which a sign beneath it that reads, “A Tribute to Public Safety.”

Watson said he requested to have it mounted on the wall in the lobby of the courthouse but was shocked by what he was told.

Watson said he was told, “Not only do we not want it on the wall, we don’t want it in the courthouse.”

Watson said, “I just can’t believe that they don’t want to display the American flag in a courthouse, I mean that’s the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

NewsChannel 3 spoke with a judge who didn’t want to be identified about the issue. The judge told us it was decided that the lobby of the courthouse is not the appropriate place for the display.

He said they don’t want any display or memorial of it’s kind positioned in the lobby when people walk into the courthouse.

The judge said if you allow one type of display, then you will have to allow all types.

The judge said having the display in the lobby sets the wrong precedent. The decision is upsetting Watson and others.

Watson said, “They expect my deputies to put their life on the line for a judge. If somebody was going to come into a courtroom with a gun, the deputy is supposed to stand in front of the judge and take a bullet, but yet they won’t let us have our flag, saluting public safety? To me, that’s a slap in the face.”

The judge told News Channel 3 the Sheriff can hang whatever he wants in his office, which is located on the first floor of the building next to the lobby.

Watson says if it comes to it, he will mount the flag in the window of his office and would rather be sent to jail than take it down.

No, you and the rest of the “show some respect!” crowd are offensive. Because you’re intellectually and emotionally dishonest when you equate what firefighters do with what soldiers do. The civil service is not military service. You’re trying to horn in on what rightfully belongs only to servicemen.

And I’m not talking about firefighters who happen to be veterans. I’m talking about career civil service workers, most of whom never served, trying to make the case that they belong in the pantheon with soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines, so they can guilt cities into paying ever larger salaries and retirement benefits. It doesn’t fly.

No civil service job is more worthy of respect than my own or anyone else’s. Only SOLDIERS command that respect. And firefighters aren’t soldiers. I give them exactly the respect they deserve — one working citizen to another.

“Many are in fact veterans.”

Where I live, Los Angeles, the vast majority of firefighters and cops are not veterans.

“LEOs and Firefighters are heroes doing dangerous duty on the homefront.”

Puh-leeze. Google “most dangerous jobs” in the United States. Cops and firefighters aren’t even in the top twenty. You’re a lot more likely to die if you’re a farmer or a coal miner. Does that make them “heroes?”

The only occupation that automatically has “hero” affixed to it is “United States Serviceman.” And I only sound “harsh” because you’re not used to someone pushing back on the nonsensical “All cops and firefighters are heroes!” mantra.

I’m talking about career civil service workers, most of whom never served...

You have some facts to back your crap up with?

Only SOLDIERS command that respect. And firefighters aren’t soldiers.

NONSENSE! You don't know what you are talking about!

Where I live, Los Angeles, the vast majority of firefighters and cops are not veterans.

One more time, you have some facts to back your crap up with?

Puh-leeze. Google “most dangerous jobs” in the United States. Cops and firefighters aren’t even in the top twenty.

Really?
25 Most Dangerous Jobs in America
So your heroes are street prostitutes, narcotics dealers & suicide bombers?

Giving back is a value all of our personnel uphold through their daily work, but in special cases this virtue is twofold. In light of Veterans Day coming up on November 11, our Department would like to show appreciation for those who serve our local communities daily through the Fire Department and our country through their tireless work as members of the U.S. military.

“Both careers have allowed me to serve my community, whether on a local, state, national or worldwide level. It has allowed me to ‘give back’ for all the blessings I have been provided throughout my life,” says Fire Captain Tony Durán, HazMat coordinator at Fire Station 1. Duran, who retired from the Air Force in 1997 with 23 years of active duty service as a Chief Master Sergeant, the highest rank attainable by an enlisted member, has continued his military service since 2006 as a member of the California State Military Reserve, Air Wing.

Although Duran admits that fulfilling both service roles does present challenges, the moral benefit of protecting and serving his community in any capacity outweighs those drawbacks. Many of our public safety responders share the rewarding experience of serving their country and their community.

Ocean Lifeguard Michael S. Gavola, who has been in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves for over three years. He was activated and deployed for one of those years in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He agrees that the dual responsibility can be overwhelming at times but also motivating.

“Being able to make an impact in my local community daily and defending my country is the most rewarding,” says Gavola.

In honor of all the men and women who serve or have served in the branches of our U.S. military, our Department would like to formally recognize those individuals within our own organization who have gone above and beyond to ensure the safety of their community and country.

Thank you for your superior service and commitment, Fire Captain Antonio E. Duran, Fire Captain Richard D. Mullen, Fire Captain Raymond L. Perez, Ocean Lifeguard Steven Acosta, Ocean Lifeguard Daniel Behrens, Ocean Lifeguard Scott T. Bender, Ocean Lifeguard Keith J. Benzer, Ocean Lifeguard Agustino Camello, Ocean Lifeguard Jim A. Darling, Ocean Lifeguard Don Elezar Garcia, Ocean Lifeguard Michael Gavola, Ocean Lifeguard Jordan Brett, Ocean Lifeguard John McGuire, Ocean Lifeguard Benjamin Miller, Ocean Lifeguard Damian Minicucci, Ocean Lifeguard Matthew F. Mohagen, Ocean Lifeguard Richard D. Neitz, Ocean Lifeguard Carlos Pena, Ocean Lifeguard Robb Raffaelli, Ocean Lifeguard Malcom A. Reid, Ocean Lifeguard Andres Sandoval, Ocean Lifeguard Benjamin Vail, Truck Driver Roderick D. Baker, Fire Fighter Andrei Mostovoj, Fire Fighter George H. Navarro, Jr., Fire Fighter Raul J. Salazar, Fire Fighter Jonathan B. Sleigh, Fire Fighter Thomas M. Thompson, Fire Fighter Josh DeJournett, Fire Fighter Rafael A. Ortiz, Fire Fighter Jason Siemen, Fire Fighter Scott A. Smith, Fire Fighter Robert Torres, Fire Fighter Glenn A. Wright, Fire Fighter Joel Cruz, Fire Fighter Michael Keeney, Fire Fighter Frank Loaiza, Fire Fighter Aaron Morris, Fire Fighter Clint A. Mosley, Fire Fighter Alejandro V. Palomino, Fire Fighter Eric S. Taylor, Fire Fighter Adam M. Vanhaaster, and Fire Fighter Specialist Mark A. Brown.

I’m supposed to be “grateful” because firefighters say so?

Because their union is so powerful, they literally buy every single elected politician in Los Angeles? And tell the pols, and the public, exactly how high their raises are going to be every year?

And no, we’re not going to be permitted to go to the free market and see if we can get incoming recruits to do the job for 70,000 a year instead of 200,000! The free market has NO PLACE in closed shop union hiring!

And if we keep talking like that, they’re going to go on TV and threaten public safety. And cry indignantly about 9/11.

You know who doesn’t behave like that? Soldiers.

Yeah, I’m so, so grateful to those heroes in the fire department. Doing the work no one else will do for $200,000 grand...

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