Drunk, Lost and Cold A Woman Uses Flag to Keep Warm and Catches the Heat

This story was found via the TCoast Talk and is a good example of police failing to use discretion.

FORT PIERCE — A 48-year-old woman accused of stealing an American flag and using it as a blanket after getting “drunk and high” faces desecrating flag and larceny charges, according to an arrest affidavit released Tuesday.

Tammy Miller (pic above), of the 1000 block of Southwest Macao Avenue in Port St. Lucie, was arrested on the two misdemeanor charges after police on Monday morning found her sleeping, wrapped in an American flag.

An officer was dispatched about 7:20 a.m. to the 2500 block of South 13th Street, and spoke with a man who brought the officer to the spot on his porch “that used to house a 24-hour lighted American flag.” The man said he heard dogs barking around 3 a.m., but thought little of it until he went out to his front porch.

Police checked a neighboring home. At the top of the driveway, the officer noticed an American flag wrapped around a sleeping woman identified as Miller.

Asked if the flag was hers, Miller said, “No, I took it off of the porch across the street.”

Miller said she’d gotten “drunk and high” the night before and didn’t know where she was. She didn’t know how to get home, so she took the flag and used it as a blanket.

Miller left footprints on the flag and also caused fraying on an edge.

Is this what police have come to?  Obviously this woman needs help not tickets and jail time.  I tried to get that across to the officer I talked to (video below) to no prevail.  If this were my flag and the woman was willing to replace it, then I wouldn’t want her sent to prison.  But this officers feels that’s where she will get the help she needs.  I see it as an extreme punishment to Ms. Miller and a waste of tax dollars to cage a woman who drank too much and got lost.   What do you think?

If you wish to call the department to voice your concerns the number is (772) 465.5770