Flag Decals to Decorate Murrieta Police Cars

Michael Loeschnig noticed something: there weren't any American flag decals on Murrieta police cars.

Loeschnig, 20, a Murrieta resident who served as an explorer with the Temecula Police Department as a teenager, wanted to fix that. So he approached Murrieta City Councilman Alan Long about the project. Long arranged for Loeschnig to meet with police Chief Mike Baray, and suggested he contact the Murrieta Rotary Club to sponsor the project.

"What really impressed me was here was a young man who felt the need to show his pride in his country and his police department," Long told Patch. "He had an idea and he followed through."

The Murrieta Rotary Club agreed to fund the purchase of the decals, which will be presented to the Police Department at Tuesday's City Council meeting. The decals will then be affixed to all patrol cars.

Loeschnig plans to be there to help present the flags.

"We, as citizens, should display our country's flag every opportunity we have— and we are able to do so because of the men and women who serve in our Military as well as the first responders—police, fire, and EMS—who serve locally," Loeschnig said. "It's great to think that these flags will travel with each officer from call to call."

Chief Baray was looking forward to seeing that happen.

"We would be honored to have the U.S. flags on our police cars," Baray told Patch. "He noticed that other agencies had them and we didn't. It is an excellent gesture from a very civic-minded young man. And we thank the Rotary Club. They are a big supporter of the Police Department."

The decals are 4 inches by 6 inches, according to Joe Lawlor, service project director for the Murrieta Rotary Club. The club purchased about 100 of them, and there are an estimated 85 patrol units, Lawlor said.

"It seemed to be a good fit with our ongoing project, the Murrieta Field of Honor," Lawlor said. "We have gotten kind of a reputation around town as the flag guys. We were happy to do it for them."