It is good to have the support of those around you no matter what it is you are doing.

The City of Clanton displayed its support for the police department by flying flags of support along both sides of Highway 31 through downtown.

According to Clanton Mayor Billy Joe Driver the flags were meant as a sign of appreciation and respect for the men and women that help enforce the laws on a daily basis.

One of the goals of the department is to keep the residents of Clanton safe. However, in order to do so, that can mean putting their own lives in harms way.

Originally the flags were intended to be introduced on Memorial Day weekend, but there was a delay in the process and the date of arrival was pushed back.

The flying of the flags coincided with the naming of Sgt. Donald Giles as Officer of the Year during the Clanton City Council meeting on Aug. 14.

Anytime a CPD officer is recognized with an award, CPD Chief Keith Maddox said it also serves as an honor for the police department as a whole.

“It’s always hard to single out just one,” Maddox said.

The design on the flags consists of a black stripe on top of a blue stripe with white lettering that read “We support our police.”

It is a simple statement, but one that cannot be said enough, according to Driver.

Maddox appreciates the accolades and support and reassured that his officers will continue to prove that they deserve that recognition on a daily basis.

“We have to earn that respect that we’ve been given,” Maddox said. “We want them to know that we will be there fore them if they need us.”

The flags are expected to remain up until Labor Day weekend, when they will be replaced with American flags.