The sheriff's department in Rutherford County, North Carolina has started sticking "In God We Trust" decals on its 50 patrol cars.
The Rutherford Sheriff Department said it won't cost taxpayers anything as the Fairview Baptist Church in Golden Valley paid for the stickers amounting to $400, reminding atheists who may file a complaint that the decals do not represent an endorsement of religion by the government, according to Fox News.
"We looked at it as an opportunity to show our patriotism," said Sheriff Chris Francis, Fox Carolina reported. "I want to make sure that my deputy sheriffs know what 'In God We Trust' means and how blessed we are to be citizens in America, to live in western North Carolina and to be able to support our nation's motto."
The atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has been targeting police departments around the U.S. over such stickers.
"FFRF reminds the agencies that citizens trust law enforcement officers to attend to their secular duties, not spend taxpayer time placing religious messages on patrol cars to the exclusion of the 23 percent of Americans who are not religious," according to the group's letter that was sent to police departments including Rutherford's.
Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor has asked the police to remove the "In God We Trust" stickers from patrol cars to "respect the rights of conscience of all citizens, including those who in good conscience reject belief in a god."
Rutherford officials said with the church picking up the tab for the decals, they hope there would be no objection.
Francis is hoping other police departments would follow suit.
"I wish that more localities would show their patriotism, show what they believe in," he said. "I think our nation would be in a different place if they would."
Fairview Pastor David Ledford explained that "we're not doing to this to thumb in the eye anyone."
"We're trying to do this for unity's sake. The way we look at it, if somebody is against it, well they carry money in their billfold that says 'In God We Trust' on it.' It's contrary to say we can't put something like that on government building or a government vehicle," he said.
