Council asked to reconsider national motto on police vehicles

At the Oct. 2 City Council meeting, Reverend Angelo Frasier, pastor of Riverlakes Church in Bakersfield and Chaplain for the Bakersfield Police Department, as well as several Tehachapi residents, appealed to the Tehachapi City Council to consider approving the placement of our national motto, "In God We Trust," on the side of Tehachapi's police vehicles. Several years ago, the Tehachapi City Council decided not to approve the measure fearing it would make a target of local police vehicles.

As this matter came up under Public Comments, no action could be considered at this meeting, but the group suggested that it be put on a future agenda.

Tehachapi resident Laura Steinke stated that Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood has affirmed that it is allowable and that most Bakersfield area departments display the motto on their vehicles. Reverend David Rivas from Delano reminded everyone that President Dwight Eisenhower passed the motto into law during his administration and that it is used on U.S. coins and is even on the Tehachapi City Council sign displayed during Council meetings. Lori Cisneros, a member of the Kern County Board of Education, added that the City of Delano was the first community to adopt the practice. Tehachapi is one of the last departments in the county not displaying the motto on their vehicles.

The Tehachapi City Council meets on the first and third Monday of the month at 6 p.m. They are currently meeting at the Police Department Community Room, 220 W. C St.