A neighboring county’s sheriff’s association says it’s upset about the removal of a “Blue Lives Matter” flag from the Paso Robles Public Safety Center over the May 1 weekend.
In a Facebook post, the Kings County Deputy Sheriff’s Association said it was disappointed with Paso Robles Police Chief Ty Lewis’s explanation for why he took down an “American thin blue line flag” that a resident put up outside the police station.
“The constant caving to the ‘woke’ cancel culture sweeping across America is promoting lawlessness and fueling negativity toward our beloved law enforcement,” the post read. “The Kings County Deputy Sheriff’s Association sends their support and admiration to the brave men and women at the Paso Robles Police Department. Now more than ever before we need our leaders to stand tall and support those of us who risk our lives.”
In the post’s comments, PRotect Paso founder Brandon Stier thanked the association for its post and said it was his event and group that put the flag up. The PRotect Paso Facebook group describes itself as a network of “patriots” with the goal of protecting the city’s businesses, community, and supporting local police.
PRotect Paso attached a “thin blue line” flag to a light post near the corner of 10th and Park Streets in addition to American flags, blue ribbons, and other decorations on gates, light poles, and other public property surrounding the Public Safety Center in support of the police department.
Lewis addressed the decision to remove the flag on the Paso Robles Police Department’s Facebook page.
Shortly after the flag was installed, Lewis said he was forwarded a complaint sent to the city by a concerned citizen. The complaint cited concerns that the flag was controversial and divisive and requested the flag be removed immediately.
“I am aware that the symbolism of thin blue line flags is viewed differently by many. Some view it as a symbol of law enforcement support, while others view it as a racist and divisive symbol. I leave it to each community member to research this controversial topic and form their own opinions. With that said, in an attempt to avoid any controversy and preserve public trust, I ordered the flag be removed from the light pole,” the post stated.
After the flag’s removal, Facebook users began rumors that the flag was stolen. Lewis said that he was responsible for removing the flag and called on community members to cease from the “unproductive and negative conversations on social media.”
Lewis told New Times that public trust is fragile, and as a police officer he’s committed himself to specific ethical standards—the California police officer code of ethics.
By taking the flag down, Lewis said he wants the Paso Robles community to know he respects the differing views out there.
“Various community members have relayed their frustration with police because they often feel their voice isn’t heard or acknowledged. They feel marginalized at best and unsafe at worse. My job is to peaceably solve problems whenever possible and to build trust. I love Paso Robles, there is strong and broad public support for us, but there are those who don’t trust us. They don’t trust me. Ignoring those viewpoints of people with real fears doesn’t help me create a stronger, safer, or more trusted police department and community,” he said.
As a leader in the community, Lewis said he believes his job is to bring people together through respect of differing opinions and providing an opportunity to build trust—which he’s finding out isn’t easy.
Lewis also noted that the Paso Public Safety Center is not a symbol of any political view or agenda; it should be professional, unbiased, and provide a safe place for anyone’s voice to be heard. His decision to remove the flag doesn’t mean he doesn’t support his officers or the law enforcement profession. Lewis said he supports and respects the individuals who fly the thin blue line flag and those who might view the flag as divisive.
Ultimately, Lewis hopes the community understands that the local police department loves their support.
“I hope they learn the importance of civility. I hope they learn that I am committed to transparency, unbiased policing, providing a voice to everyone, that I listen, that I will always strive to make decisions in the public’s best interest. Even when it opens me to criticism,” he said. “Lastly, I hope they understand that policing is an honorable profession and the city of Paso Robles is home to the best officers anywhere.” ∆
This article appears in Best of SLO County 2021.
Paso Robles Police Chief Ty Lewis missed a great opportunity to stand with law-and-order in our community, and it is the divisive, poor decision making by people like Mr. Lewis which has fueled criminality and mob defiance all across the USA. No one should stand with our front-line officers more than Ty Lewis, and I believe he has lost the support of his rank-and-file officers as a result of this woke stunt.
I hope Mr. Lewis reflects on his behavior, and the recent shooting of two SLO city police officers offers a fresh testimonial on what happens when people like Heidi Harmon and Ty Lewis use their position to bad mouth law enforcement through symbols and words.
Shame on the whacky left, BLM rioters do not deserve respect, but police officers do.
Police Chief Ty Lewis did the right and courageous thing and deserves the full support of the community at this troubling time.
No one should have the right to be able to use police department property to erect political signs and banners without permission.
It’s despicable how local white supremacist troublemakers are wanting to divide our community by bad mouthing some of our greatest leaders and public servants
It is very disappointing that the Kings County sheriffs Association would side with white supremacists and attack a respected law-enforcement leader for upholding the law and not succumbing to efforts to divide the community along racial lines.
This is a difficult time for local law-enforcement and law enforcement advocates should be working toward unity and support rather than attacking their colleagues for upholding the law.
Paso Robles police chief Ty Lewis deserves widespread support for acting so courageously and upholding his oath of office.
What is disappointing is to see some of our whacky liberal friends once again disavow much-needed support for our law enforcement first responders, and anyone who cannot and will not support our police officers at this time ought to be ashamed of themselves. As good citizens, lets ALL unite behind a message of solidarity with police, and only the worst left-wing scum among us support the BLM radical’s ‘defund the police’ policy initiatives.
It is great to see the Kings County law enforcement community standing with their fellow officers, and Paso Robles Police Chief Ty Lewis has now lost the support of his rank-and-file officers who put their lives on the line everyday while Mr. Lewis is sitting behind a cushy desk. Records show that Mr. Lewis draws a taxpayer-funded salary of over $250,000 a year, his poor leadership is a colossal waste of money, and his antics were meant to appease the BLM rioters and their leftists followers, sad.
Let’s reject the whacky left, the BLM rioters, and the Antifa radicals, they only desire to ruin our safe and orderly society, sew division and discord, and commit atrocious, unsafe behaviors like shutting down highway 101 during a pandemic, stopping first responders like nurses from getting to their jobs at the hospital. These clowns CHEERED as one of their own smashed a skateboard through a car window, endangering a 4 year old baby. These people HATE law enforcement, and their antics have endangered our community, wasted taxpayer dollars, and regular working class people should not have had to tolerate their childish and illegal behavior. Vote to convict!
The recent shooting of two law enforcement police officers in SLO can be attributed to the disrespect of those who attack police, and shame on all whacky liberals who have engaged in police shaming, they have blood on their hands. The lawlessness of Portland, New York City, Chicago, Minneapolis, and other once-great American cities will be visited upon us if these foolish radicals are not put in their place, and ALL good people should disavow support for these childish, uneducated fools who only seek to impose their radical agenda on the rest of us. We should all be thankful to our law enforcement community, and, if you love freedom, thank a cop.
Blue Lives Matter!
What is remarkable is that a local police chief is being attacked for refusing to allow Nazi banners and white supremacist flags to be displayed on Police Department property without permission.
Whatever might be the origins of the so-called thin blue line banner, it’s now widely recognized as a white supremacist symbol. Same thing happened with the swastika But no matter what those symbols mean to anyone, they should not be allowed to be displayed on Police Department property without authorization.
Paso Robles police chief Ty Lewis is being attacked for upholding the law and not succumbing to efforts to divide and create animosity and racial tension in our community. Ty Lewis should be honored as a local hero and his story should be celebrated throughout the country. His story deserves national coverage and inspire people throughout the world to stand up for what’s right in their community and not allow the bigots and the ignorant to call the shots.
Put the flag back up, the only people offended will be the dope peddling loser in the biden-mexico flag truck. That’s who called and whined. Put the flag up in Camp Roberts (Campo Roberto). Let the folks there ogle a flag of courage and pride. Fly the flag and piss on those who don’t like it.
Doesn’t make sense nor does it help our community to allow illegal banners and flags erected without permission on Police Department property. The police department is supposed to be enforcing laws, not providing a venue for breaking the law.
At this troubling time in our community, it is more important than ever that we support our courageous and highly competent and respected police chief Ty Lewis.
Today, especially, is not the day to start making public attacks on our police leadership. Nobody will take away your rights of freedom of speech, but if you could tone it down in these days of mourning it would be appreciated. Thank you.🙏
The reason the whacky left cannot support the idea that Blue Lives Matter is because it flies in the face of their disrespect for law & order, criminal types just cannot bring themselves to support the idea of behavioral standards. The BLM/Antifa/Whacky Left Democrats prefer to embrace riots, looting, highway shutdowns and racial antagonism over civil discourse, debate, law & order and respect for the rule-of-law.
Our community is dealing with the devastating murder of one of our brave rank-and-file police officers, SLO City Police Detective Luca Benedetti, and the least the cop-hating leftists can do is show a little respect to him and his loved ones. We know that Paso Robles Police Chief Ty Lewis and the BLM losers stand AGAINST rank-and-file officers, but the rest of civil society appreciates the sacrifice that every police officer makes on our behalf.
Here on the Central Coast, whacky far-left liberals like Heidi Harmon, Miriam Shah, Jimmy Paulding, Caren Ray Rossum, Adam Hill, Bruce Gibson and Dawn Addis have blood on their hands. Their anti-police rhetoric is reckless and dangerous, and I blame them for the uptick in violence against our brave police officers. Parents have a duty to bring their children up to respect law enforcement, follow laws and behave in a respectful manner. The whacky left has given its tacit approval to cop killers, and attacks on law enforcement are up over 200% since BLM made scapegoating law enforcement a trendy woke activity.
R.I.P SLO Police Officer Luca Benedetti, a grateful community stands with you and your family!
Blue Lives Matter.
Paso Robles police chief Ty Lewis had absolutely nothing to do with the shooting. To suggest otherwise is despicable and lower than low. Even more so at this time of mourning.
Ty Lewis is a local and well respected hero in our community and an inspiration to many. He understands the seriousness and intricacies of modern policing. He represents a positive future for law-enforcement and our community. And, importantly, he understands the law.
May God have mercy on your soul Steve Edwards (whoever you really are).
Paso Robles police chief Ty Lewis is not going to let the whims and perversities of Internet trolls and self styled basement level political operatives dictate how law-enforcement is performed in his city.
This attempt by Q-Anon inspired conservative trolls to get the conservative members of the community to distrust and hate local law-enforcement is despicable.
Oh no. The sheriffs association from a neighboring s**thole county is upset that the modern day N*z* flag was removed. Good for Lewis. It took some big stones to do that in a town full of “patriots” that profess to be fans of law and order, but can’t seem to be bothered to wear a mask. It’s a damn good thing they didn’t have to live through fuel and rubber rations. Can you imagine the conniption fit they would have thrown had they had to put up with THAT kind of intrusion on their freedoms?
No matter what our whacky liberal friends say, the refusal of the BLM, Antifa and local Dems to support law enforcement is despicable and indicative of people who cannot even understand who stands between them and the law of the jungle. Next time they need a cop, I hope the cell phone connection goes down, and they are left to fend for themselves.
The Blue Lives Matter flag is simply a way to honor our heroes, and people who have a problem with it obviously suffer from Liberal Delusion Syndrome, they are probably cheering the death of local SLO Police Officer Luca Benedetti. The weirdoes who protested against our heroes last summer (BLM, Antifa, Local whacky Dems) do not appreciate the sacrifices that our brave police officers make everyday in order to protect us and keep ALL members of society safe, so it doesnt surprise me to see them on here making fools of themselves as they attack others who have better values than to complain about heroes.
The BLM fools spent last summer shutting down Highway 101, stopping pregnant mothers from getting to the hospital, keeping first responders from getting to work during a pandemic, and they cheered when one of their own crashed a skateboard through a car window, causing a 4 year old baby to become traumatized. How sick they must be to embrace that level of criminality in order to promote their phony cause and working class people in SLO County have rejected them and their false narrative. Those of us who support law and order want to see these punks prosecuted to the full extent of the law!
Shame on local phony politicians like Heidi Harmon, Aaron Gomez, Adam Hill, Bruce Gibson, Jimmy Paulding, Caren Ray Rossum, Miriam Shah, Dawn Addis, Carolyn Christianson, Erika Stewart, and Jeff Lee, ALL of whom gave voice to anti-police rhetoric. Shame on these phony so-called public servants who created the conditions which encouraged the death of Officer Benedetti, they have blood on their hands.
RIP Slain SLO Police Officer Luca Benedetti.
Blue Lives Matter!
Sorry Steve Edwards, but that’s no excuse. You are responsible for your own behavior. Blaming law enforcement leadership and elected officials for your deplorable and dangerous white supremacist and anti-government propaganda does not cut it.
I think our friend, Wrongword must be sampling some of the street drugs that his whacky left buddies push in our community, he does not seem to be able to grasp even the simplest concepts. Nearly ALL Americans (except the whacky left) are united in support for law enforcement, support Blue Lives Matter, and stand against the recent violence against beloved SLO City Police Officer Luca Benedetti.
The whacky left, BLM Communists, Antifa radicals, and Limousine Liberals support violence against law enforcement because they hate America, hate freedom, and want to see America fail. Fortunately, the rest of us stand against rioting and looting, shutting down highways, and detest violence against children and the police. People like Wrongword were delighted to see their BLM friend smash a skateboard through a car window during their Hwy. 101 shutdown, and he cheered when the shattered glass traumatized a 4 year old child. Sociopaths!
RIP SLO City Police Officer Luca Benedetti, always in our hearts.
Blue Lives Matter! 🙂
Our community needs to be seriously concerned whenever we find one of us who obsessively posts hate-filled, libelous racist and anti-government statements and acts increasingly agitated and erratic—and owns firearms. Anyone who knows someone acting like this should make note of the following website to be used in times of concern or crisis: https://www.t-mha.org/crisis-and-referral.…
Giving in to a few loud voices of the perpetually indignant was a mistake. They object to the very concept of police generally, and are offended by the mere presence of cops in the city. Is the chief going to send all of his officers to King City to placate the whiners?
It’s appropriate, even advised, to be continually indignant about hate-fueled white supremacist attitudes and crimes in our community. There is no need to placate white supremacists or establish publicly owned venues for their campaigning, recruiting and banner waving. To allow that to happen at a community Police Department is outlandish. It is troubling enough that they have free reign to spew bigotry on sites like this.
We need to foster love and communication in our community for that is the only way our society will progress in a positive direction. We have enough resources for everyone. We start by making sure everyone has enough to eat and access to quality healthcare and education. We have everything available to us to make that happen The only thing stopping us is fear.
Don’t let fear win. By letting go of fear and hatred, opportunities for progress at this time are abundant. As the sages and avatars have taught us through the centuries, it’s all about love. It’s in the lyrics of our music, our literature, and in our souls: Love is the answer.
I think all reasonable people now understand that the divisive, hateful voices in our community are those of BLM, Antifa, the Whacky Left and their Limousine Liberal friends. The rest of us stand with our rank-and-file officers, law enforcement and the rule-of-law. Working class people on the Central Coast have no use for impetulant and ignorant children claiming America is a racist country, they ought to be ashamed of themselves. Although Americas march towards equality for all has at times been an uneven journey, our progress has been both incredible and impressive, foreigners from other countries would give their right hand for the chance to come here.
The problem with BLM and the whacky left is they are attempting to create a false narrative, and common people are understanding that their rhetoric is hateful, divisive and counterproductive to a post-racial America. Even on these blogs, we have idiots who seek to divide our people and pit American against American, but it will not work. They have also tried to create a false narrative against our brave law enforcement officers, painting an image of police officers as somehow racist, when we all know that our courageous first responders are some of our finest citizens.
Please join the majority of our community who support our men and women in blue by donating to the GoFundMe page set up to support the widow and children of slain SLO City police officer Luca Benedetti. Officer Benedetti was killed in the line of duty protecting the rest of us, and we must not miss this opportunity to support law enforcement and Officer Benedettis widow and two beautiful children. The cop killer, Edward Zamora Giron, reportedly has ties to the local BLM movement, and his associations with BLM and Antifa are being currently investigated.
Please go to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/detective-luca-…
Lets not allow the whacky left, BLM, Antifa liberals to due further damage to our community, lets stand with Officer Benedetti and the rule-of-law by donating to the cause. Already, nearly $250,000 of the $500,000 goal has been raised in less than 24 hours, and the generous donations send a powerful message to the left wingers that we do not tolerate the hate-filled messages about our brave police officers. If Paso Robles Police Chief Ty Lewis had any decency, he would immediately refly the Blue Lives Matter flag that he unceremoniously tore down.
RIP Officer Trent Benedetti, a grateful community mourns your loss.
Blue Lives Matter!
One big problem with the thin blue line flag is that it creates an us vs them attitude between the police and the General public. In the United States, the traditional US flag is meant to represent all of us united. That’s what we should be aiming at. The thin blue line flag has proved to be very divisive and is now been co-opted by white supremacists throughout the United States that use it and the confederate flag to celebrate and recruit others into their bigotry lifestyle. In Paso Robles, the erecting of the thin blue line flag was certainly aimed at antagonizing and dividing the community along racial and political lines. White supremacists are loving it. White supremacists do not want the United States to be united.
The B.S. is piled so high around here, you need a helicopter to stay above it!
Now our ‘friend’, Wrongword’ is claiming that the Blue Lives Matter flag is a divisive symbol of bigotry and racism, but the fact is that the Blue Lives Matter organization and flag was developed to advocate that those who are prosecuted and convicted of killing law enforcement officers should be sentenced under hate crime statutes. It’s that simple, it does not advocate either racism or bigotry, and to claim otherwise is disingenuous and slanderous.
As we all mourn the murder of SLO Police Officer Luca Benedetti, let’s keep in mind that the whacky Democrats have made it a priority to badmouth our brave law enforcement officers. The BLM and Antifa punks delight in attacking our police officers, and now it appears one of their own has deliberately murdered a local police officer. It is the responsibility of every good citizen to support law enforcement, and we all must collectively demand that the left -wing fanatics immediately stop their dangerous rhetoric leading to the murder of our brave cops. Enough is enough.
I encourage ALL people who disavow the reckless and divisive politics of the Far-Left Democrats, BLM Radicals, Antifa Communists, and the socialist/anarchist to donate to the GoFundMe account to benefit the family of slain officer Benedetti. Let’s reject these fools and pay tribute to a community hero! Support Blue Lives Matter, the fBlue Lives Flag and those who serve and protect!
https://www.gofundme.com/f/detective-luca-…
May God Bless the widow and children of slain Officer Luca Benedetti
Blue Lives Matter.
The proper name is the blue line flag. Its not a blue lives matter flag. And, unfortunately, now it is used by white supremacists to rally and recruit other bigots. It was co-opted. Same thing happened with the swastika when it was co-opted by Adolph Hitler for the Nazis and used on flags erected on German police department property and elsewhere. People who truly care about our police and our community need to come up with another way to express their support. White supremacists should not be given a free pass to illegally erect signs and banners on Police Department property. In fact, no one should be allowed to erect signs banners and flags on Police Department property without permission. I think thats reasonable. No one should succumb to pressure by white supremacists to do things that further their sick agenda. Its problem enough that people are using this forum to promote white supremacist propaganda on the Central Coast.
Dont let it happen here.
Facts about white supremacy and terrorism
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_609c842…
Trump supporters attack police. Read all about it here:
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_609c9b8…
Obviously that ridiculous flag should have been taken down and should never have been allowed to be put up in the first place. The chief did a good thing and should be applauded. Disconcerting to see those who traffic in fear and hate continue to spout lies, stoke unnecessary division, and make such an absurd issue into something greater than it should be.
It should be really simple. Support law enforcement when they are in the right and when they are performing their duties appropriately, responsibly and honorably, and hold them accountable when they engage in criminal behavior and act inappropriately. You know, much like everyone else in other occupations. No single group or entity deserves nor should seek unconditional blind support.
The Far-Left whacky liberals cannot stand to give public support to our wonderful police officers, so it must make them cringe to see the overwhelming support the SLO Police Department and slain police officer Luca Benedetti is receiving. the willing dupes of the BLM must HATE to see that nearly $500,000 has been raised for the sworn officer’s widow and children. People like Heidi Harmon and Tianna Arrata HATE to see the flags being lowered and a grateful community memorializing the life of Officer Benedetti.
I encourage all good people to online order a ‘thin Blue Line’ flag in order to show support for our law enforcement heroes, who go to work everyday to keep dangerous killers and criminals off of our streets. Contrary to what Heidi Harmon, Tianna Aratta and the other losers want you to think, our community DOES support law enforcement, our community rejects the hateful, violent messages of the Alt-Left, and our community will publicly show our respect for the brave men and women who are sworn to protect us.
Please donate to show support: https://www.gofundme.com/f/detective-luca-…
Blue Lives Matter
R.I.P. Slain Officer Luca Benedetti, May God Bless You!
Bravo Carlos! Finally, this paper is putting out some news! PUT THE FLAG UP AND PISS ON THOSE WHO DON’T LIKE IT. COME TAKE IT DOWN YOU SISSIES! The left is populated with limp-wristed SOFT wannabe hide behind a screen, anonymous phone call LOSERS! REAL MEN and WOMEN stand proudly for what they believe. Fake ass corrupt democrat sissies sit on the sidelines of life criticizing.
Well spoken, Silence Dogood!
At its core, liberalism is a mental illness.
Over time, small, responsible government will provide the best path for the most people.
God Bless America’s Founding Fathers!