Police Officers Start 'In God We Trust' Bumper Sticker Campaign on Squad Cars

Police officers in multiple states have followed the social media trend to put "In God We Trust" bumper stickers on their patrol cars, resulting in criticism from local secularists and secular groups.

Although it remains unclear where the trend originated, media outlets report that police officers in Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina and other states have begun posting photos of bumper stickers that read "In God We Trust" on their patrol cars.

The stickers were reportedly donated and not purchased using taxpayer money.

Doug Rader, sheriff of Stone County, Missouri, recently told The Stone County Chronicle that a Facebook post on the local police department's page announcing the stickers' placement has reportedly gone viral, gaining over two million views.

"There has been no better time than now to proudly display our national motto. I'm very humbled at the amount of support behind it," Rader told the local media outlet. "It's been our national motto since 1956 [...] it's our culture and a part of our heritage."

 The bumper sticker campaign hasn't received positive feedback from all local residents. Those who oppose the bumper stickers reportedly gathered in Bonifay, Florida to argue that the U.S. is a secular nation and police departments should not express their religious beliefs on squad cars.

"We are protesting in favor of a secular government. We do not think the phrase, 'In God We Trust' or any type of religious messages or anything really in the realm of religion should be on public property or on police cars," protester Wesley Wilson told KSPR-TV recently.