Officers draw national attention

Two sheriff’s department officers made national news for recovering an American flag from the rubble of Friday’s tornado.

Derek Bogenschutz and Eric Smitley were featured on Fox News channel Monday morning for picking up a flag on the ground, folding it and placing it out of harm’s way.

The pair visited areas affected by the storm Friday evening to do welfare checks. They stopped by Matt and Betsy Minnich’s property at 5212 N. 450 East. (The Minnichs had lost half their outbuilding, two garage walls, parts of their roof and a backyard playground set.)

It was there, Bogenschutz explained, he and Smitley noticed a flag laying in the grass and decided to fold it in accordance with United States flag code.

“That flag represents our country and the people in that country and our community, and it’s what we swore to protect and serve,” he said. “It felt like it was something we needed to do to get it off the ground and out of the weather.”

Bogenschutz noted the pair finished up welfare checks for medical assistance –– no injuries were reported –– before picking up the flag.