Lisa Roose-Church

Livingston Daily

It’s a simple, but sometimes controversial phrase that is visible on Livingston County Sheriff's Department patrol vehicles — and one organization that advocates for separation of church and state would like to see it removed.

“We knew it had the potential to be a little controversial,” Undersheriff Michael Murphy said when contacted for comment. “… We’ve had people follow (deputies) and say it’s awesome. Some specifically came in and said, ‘That’s awesome.’”

Madeline Ziegler, a legal fellow with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, disagrees, and she put that opinion in a letter to Sheriff Bob Bezotte this month after receiving a complaint from a person questioning the Sheriff’s Department’s decision.

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“I think putting statements about believing in a God alienates everyone who is agnostic or atheist,” she said.

Livingston County is not unique in that regard. In recent years, the motto has been placed on cars driven by police officers, sheriff’s deputies and firefighters in Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas and elsewhere.

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In Michigan, Crawford County Sheriff Kirk Wakefield put the same decal on his department’s patrol cruisers in March, according to news reports.

Murphy said his department decided to place an “In God We Trust” decal on the patrol vehicles after a private citizen mentioned seeing it elsewhere.

“One cool thing about the Sheriff’s Department is the sheriff responds to and is elected by the people; that’s the only law enforcement that is that way,” the undersheriff said. “They are truly beholden to the people — not the government or set of councilmen. …

"We need to know what the citizens are thinking and how they feel, and (the decal) is very representative of our citizenry and I cannot tell you how many hundreds, if not thousands, have made positive comments," Murphy added.

Ziegler said Murphy referenced it in an email with a private citizen that it was done for “religious heritage” and that doing so “demonstrates there is a religious purpose” to the action, “which definitely makes it unconstitutional.

However, Murphy said Ziegler twisted his words.

In the e-mail, which was shared with the Livingston Daily, Murphy replied to an inquiry about why the decals were placed on the cars, saying: “It is being done to reference our religious heritage,” which Murphy reiterated when contacted by the Livingston Daily for comment.

“The courts recognize our religious heritage, and as a result adopted ‘In God We Trust’ as our national motto,” Murphy said. “This is all part of our heritage and history. There are way too many people out there trying to rewrite or ignore history/heritage, and this is terribly unfortunate because to understand how we are where we are, we have to understand how we got here.”

In Texas, the attorney general released an opinion that noted Congress adopted "In God We Trust" as the national motto in 1956 — and that against constitutional challenges, courts "across the country have consistently held that the statutes do not violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment." The order further noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently noted the motto "is a constitutional 'reference to our religious heritage.'"

Initially, the Sheriff’s Department also included a decal referencing Bible verse “John 15:13,” which essentially says there is no greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends.

Murphy, who used the Bible reference as a signature on his county email, said it was an appropriate verse for law enforcement. However, after consulting with the county attorney, the Bible verse will not be placed on cars and Murphy said he also will delete it from his county email.

“We probably weren’t in good standing with the Bible verse,” Murphy said.

The county attorney, however, told the Sheriff’s Department that the “In God We Trust” is OK, Murphy said.

Ziegler said the Freedom From Religion Foundation is interested in legally challenging the motto on police cruisers, but they have had trouble finding an officer willing to be listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit even though “hundreds all over the country” have complained.

Murphy said he has had department members, deputies, sergeants, lieutenants and civilians “thank me for putting this on the cars.”

“I have yet to have someone complain,” he said.

Ziegler confirmed that no Livingston County Sheriff’s Department employee has filed a complaint with her office.

“People are being bullied out of a lawsuit,” she said, noting that community backlash often proves too much for some.

Ziegler encouraged an officer interested in pursuing legal action to call the Foundation at 608-256-8900.

If, however, someone wants to show support, the Sheriff’s Department number is 517-546-2440.

Contact Livingston Daily justice reporter Lisa Roose-Church at 517-552-2846 or lrchurch@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @LisaRooseChurch