BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Bakersfield pastor behind pushes for municipalities adding "In God We Trust" to local police vehicles may be taking his advocacy on the road.
Angelo Frazier tells 23ABC News that Ridgecrest city councilman and vice mayor Wallace Martin has invited Frazier to speak to the council at its next meeting on Wednesday, June 18. Martin told Frazier he would like Frazier to talk about adding decals to Ridgecrest police and fire vehicles.
"He told me 'I need your help,'" Frazier said Tuesday. "I'm excited about how it's all coming together."
According to the agenda for Wednesday's meeting, Martin has proposed adding the decals to police cars "and possibly firefighting vehicles."
Martin and Police Chief Jed McLaughlin are expected to speak on the matter.
Frazier, along with Bakersfield councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan, has been behind pushes to get decals with the United States' national motto added to police patrol cars around Kern County.
On Monday, Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he not only has talked to Frazier about doing the same for Kern County Sheriff's vehicles, but said he would be OK with it on an individual basis. He would leave it up to each deputy and civilian employee who has a vehicle to decide on their own whether they want a removable decal added or not.
So far, only Delano and Bakersfield have approved adding the motto to vehicles belonging to their respective police departments. Shafter is expected to make a decision on the decals at tonight's city council meeting at 6 p.m.
Sullivan's non-profit In God We Trust America is expected cover the costs for adding the decals to BPD cars.
Not everyone has been behind the idea, however. Some have come out against the idea, saying the invoking of God on a city vehicle violates the separation of church and state, as written in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Frazier because it's the national motto, that's not true.
