WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) — The Wethersfield Town Council’s vote not to fly the Thin Blue Line flag ahead of a fallen trooper’s funeral has drawn some ire.

Connecticut State Police Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier was killed last week in a hit-and-run on Interstate 84. Council member Rich Bailey (R) asked the town to fly the Thin Blue Line flag, but the council didn’t approve the request.

“In my home, [the flag] means police, and they protect us, and they are our first line of defense,” Bailey said. “They always are, and they’re always here, and they’re always for us.”

Others said that a specific flag has a negative meaning.

“It represents racism and antagonism to many, many people, and if you don’t personally believe that, and you fly at your own house and you think it means something to you, that is much more positive,” said Emily Zambrello (D), a member of the council. “It’s just not how many people feel about it. It’s not appropriate to raise it over our town hall, especially when our flag policy prohibits us from doing anything associated with hate.”

Mayor Ken Lesser said council members proposed to fly the first responders’ flag instead, but that “that was not acceptable to the author of the motion.” Bailey, however, said, “All we are doing is trying to respect a fallen police officer.”

“The first responder’s flag recognizes all of the first responders — police, fire, emergency management,” Lesser said. “The Blue Line flag was designed for police officers and goes back…well over 100 years, but now again it has been used by white supremacists, and many police groups have disavowed that flag.”

Pelletier’s funeral is scheduled for Wednesday. Gov. Ned Lamont has ordered for flags to be flown at half-staff in his memory.