Harford County Shows Support At Thin Blue Line Flag Event

ABINGDON, MD — Those who wanted to show their support for law enforcement lined up to claim free thin blue line flags Saturday morning in Abingdon. Two Harford County businessmen donated 1,000 flags for the event.

"Hope everyone gets one and gives one to somebody," Harford County Councilman Tony Giangiordano said.

He and Harford County Sheriff Foundation President Walter "Butch" Tilley purchased the flags from the Quartermaster in Fallston, a store owned by Harford Councilman Joe Woods. Tilley said he and Giangiordano each paid $1,300 for the flags.

The giveaway event was held on the Boulevard at Box Hill, the area where two officers were killed in the line of duty less than four years ago. Senior Deputy Patrick Dailey, 52, of Joppa, and Deputy First Class Mark Logsdon, 43, of Fallston, were fatally shot Feb. 10, 2016.

"You talk about the thin blue line ... that separates chaos from our citizens, keeps our citizens safe," Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said, speaking from the podium. "We stand on ground where two of our heroes gave their lives for that thin blue line."

"That fact that some people won't stand up and say, 'God bless that thin blue line flag, God bless the men and women of law enforcement who do such a good job for us all and the citizens of our community," Gahler said, "just breaks my heart."

In October, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich barred the display of a thin blue line flag at a police station where a boy gave a handmade flag to officers. Elrich said the symbol was "an affront" that was dismissive of some groups.

See Also:

• Hogan Slams Elrich For Banning 'Thin Blue Line' Flag Display
• More 'Thin Blue Line' Flags Pop Up In MD Since Elrich Ban
• Elrich Stands By 'Thin Blue Line' Flag Call
• Thin Blue Line Event In Harford County Planned For Nov. 23
• 2 Deputies Killed in Abingdon Shooting, Suspect Dead
• Killer of 2 Deputies Was Armed 'At All Times': Harford Sheriff
• Memorial To Slain Deputies Unveiled On The Boulevard At Box Hill

James Tarantin, who owns an import-export business in Montgomery County, traveled by Uber for the event in Abingdon to show his appreciation for law enforcement.

"I really believe it's very important to support them," Tarantin told Patch. "That's the main reason why I'm here, just to make sure that they feel people are coming, even coming from far away."

Of Montgomery County, "I hope that they may see this and may do events like this also there, but you can't force them," Tarantin said, adding that people were entitled to have their own opinions.

Watch the speeches at the thin blue line flag event:

Tarantin owns a company that brings containers from Asia and Israel to Walmart and Target and other distributors around the United States, specifically around promotional items. As a citizen and as a business owner, he said he appreciated the security police provide.

"Our police brings us a measure of order, protection and patriotism," Tarantin said. "They really allow us to some degree to experience our liberties — to know that we can walk the streets, that we can go here, drive there." It is important to "at least thank them in whatever way we can," he added.

"I really do hope there will be more events like this, not just across Maryland but in many other counties," Tarantin said.

"They really do risk their lives," he said of police, "and I think it's the basic thing we can do."

To honor those who gave their lives in the line of duty, Harford County Deputy Sheriff's Union Vice President Aaron Penman asked for a moment of silence before the event concluded. He said there were 37 line-of-duty deaths so far this year in the United States as of Saturday.

Members of the Harford County Citizens Police Academy gave thin blue line flags away from a table in the parking lot of the Boulevard at Box Hill. Among them was volunteer Silvia Meranski, who told Patch she felt a calling to join the academy after the deaths of the two Harford County sheriff's deputies. She said she and other volunteers hoped that Harford County was a sea of thin blue line flags in the days to come.

There are 100 flags left, Penman told Patch Monday morning. Email erobeyle@gmail.com to arrange to get a flag.