Police Raise New Flag on New Flagpole Six Months After Winds, Wildfire Destruction

The Pasadena Police Department raised a new American flag Tuesday, more than six months after the winds and flames of the Eaton Fire toppled the flagpole outside its downtown headquarters and, miles away, destroyed its inaugural departmental flag at its training facility in Eaton Canyon.

Chief Gene Harris raised a new flag on a newly-installed flagpole during an afternoon ceremony at the Police Department’s headquarters at 207 N. Garfield Ave.. Officers watched silently as the flag reached the top of the pole.

Department staff discovered the damage when they arrived at headquarters on Jan. 8. The hurricane force winds that drove the Eaton Fire had struck overnight, leaving the flagpole toppled.

The new flag will eventually be moved to the training facility for permanent display after the facility is restored, said the police department. The ceremony provided some closure for first responders who witnessed the destruction months earlier.

Tuesday’s flag-raising marked the first time the stars and stripes flew over the department since the fire.

The department said the ceremonial flag was dedicated to the police force. No timeline was given for when it will be transferred to the training facility.