Weymouth Police Deliver 'Thin Blue Line' Flag To Norfolk Sheriff

WEYMOUTH, MA — A "Thin Blue Line" flag that was ordered removed from Hingham fire apparatus and delivered to Weymouth Police Headquarters has made its way to the Norfolk County Correctional Facility in Dedham where it was raised on Tuesday.

Weymouth police delivered the flag in memory of late Sgt. Michael Chesna. Cindy Chesna, Mimi Chesna and Chuck Chesna helped raise the flag on a newly installed flagpole.

The Hingham Fire Fighters Local 2398 said the flag was flown on apparatus in that town as a tribute to Chesna on the two-year anniversary of his in-the-line-of-duty shooting death last moth, and that the union decided to keep the flag flying as a tribute to all local police and first responders.

The Hingham Board of Selectmen received a complaint about the flag, however, that it could be considered a political statement in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. The Board of Selectmen said it determined the flag should not be on the apparatus since only a select few flags are authorized to be flown on town property — citing the refusal to allow a LGBTQ+"Rainbow" gay pride flag to be flown during Pride Month as precedent.

Local Union 2398 initially said that, while it did not agree with the decision, it would remove the flags, only to reverse course, citing the town's lack of dialogue on the subject and public support to keep flying the flags.

Members of Local 2398, along with Weymouth police and fire union members, ultimately removed the flag, saying it was going to be given to the Weymouth Police Department to fly at Weymouth Police Headquarters.

The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts Union offered to give one of the flags a tour of the state with any fire department or union wanting to fly it before it is presented to the family of Chesna. Union president Rich MacKinnon posted a statement Friday saying it will offer the flag to be flown on apparatus throughout Massachusetts as a sign of solidarity between fire and police unions at a time when "our Brothers and Sisters in blue have been under unprecedented and seemingly unrelenting attacks."

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