Have you ever seen a black sticker, patch, or flag with a thin blue line horizontally stretched across?
If so, you’ve seen the monumental Thin Blue Line—a symbol used by law enforcement to commemorate fallen officers. Symbolic of the relationship between police and their community, the blue center line represents law enforcement, the top black stripe represents the public while the bottom represents the criminals.
Just last week, Patriot Wood’s founder and chief craftsman, Art Pinney, and I were at lunch discussing a new product line. Not long after we started, his phone chimed as if he received a text message. Our conversation was put on hold for a moment while Art slid an iPhone from his pocket. After glancing at his phone, Art reported that he had received a new order for Patriot Wood’s most popular product, the Thin Blue Line Wood Flag.
In the wake of recent controversies over police shootings, the Patriot Wood Thin Blue Line Flag has become very popular among law enforcement personnel, their families and supporters. Honestly, the response to this flag has been greater than we ever imagined. But even more than that, its popularity has given us the chance to hear other people’s incredible stories.
The Thin Blue Line Wood Flag has shipped to officers across the country, including Ralph Friedman, the most-decorated NYPD cop in history, and Fort Lauderdale’s Captain Luis Alvarez (right in image above), who bought our first ever Thin Blue Line Wood Flag.
In a recent thankyou email to Art, Captain Alvarez said, “I wanted to thank you for your generosity and for also making such an impressive flag... Thanks for what you do.” We can’t help but respond to Captain Alvarez by saying, “Thank you for what you do.”
The term “Thin Blue Line” came into broad use after the release of Errol Morris' 1988 documentary film The Thin Blue Line, about the murder of a Dallas Police officer Robert W. Wood. But Wood’s story isn’t the only one. In 2013 alone, almost 50,000 police officers were assaulted on duty—76 of those killed.
The emblem doesn’t just represent fallen police officers. It also represents those who put their lives on the line every day and night because people like you and me need these men and women in blue. We need them to gear up so we can walk the streets during the day and sleep at night in peace.
Since launching our first Thin Blue Line Wood Flag, we’ve built several comparable versions per customer request. These include the Thin Blue Line Vintage Wood Flag and a Thin Red Line Wood Flag.
A few customers have requested the Thin Blue Line Wood Flag in the shape of a specific state. We’ve begun the process of building versions for each state—the first being Texas. The accuracy of the curves, the boldness of the colors, and the distinct 3D raised elements provide a stunning piece every time.
Take a look at this stunning North Carolina Thin Blue Line Flag that Art recently built:
Take this opportunity to send one of our handcrafted Thin Blue Line Wood Flags as a “thank you” to an officer who’s close to you. It will mean the world to them and will be a great honor for their service. The grain of the wood, boldness of colors and raised elements will provide a conversation piece that all their friends will admire.
Blue lives matter! Show your support and order your Thin Blue Line Flag today.
