Someone stole a flag that flew to honor a State Trooper killed in the line of duty.
Over the weekend someone took the thin blue line flag from Trooper Paul Butterfield’s Memorial.
Right now police are trying to figure out who took it.
The memorial sits on the side of the street on North Custer Road in Free Soil Township.
2013 is the year forever etched in the memory of Paul Butterfield’s fiance Jennifer Sielski.
It’s when Trooper Butterfield lost his life in the line of duty after getting shot during a traffic stop.
Now Jennifer is one of many asking for a piece of his memory to be brought back.
"He was a very kindhearted man and still very missed," Jennifer said.
Years after his death, Trooper Paul Butterfield is still known for his magnetic personality.
"He just had a zest for life, I mean he wanted to tackle so many things in life and he cared about people and cared about animals," said Jennifer.
His huge heart and generous soul, honored with this memorial tucked just off the side of the road. It also marks the place Trooper Butterfield lost his life.
"It’s a place of pain, but it’s also a place where people go to remember they go there to remember the sacrifice Paul made for the community and that’s sacred," Jennifer said.
Until this past weekend the spot went undisturbed. But now the thin blue line flag, a symbol honoring fallen officers and those who still serve, is gone.
"That’s the place where Paul was killed and so that’s the place where the community can go and memorialize him. So when it gets damaged or desecrated people feel that.," Jennifer said.
Now the response is simple: people just want it back.
"We would love to have it back. It would mean a lot not just to us, but the entire community," said First Lieutenant Jeffrey White.
"I would just ask they get it back, they just return it. That’s all we’re looking for," Jennifer said.
If you have any information on the missing flag call the Michigan State Police Hart Post.
© 2023 - 910 Media Group
