Bible verse to be removed from East Tenn. police department

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A biblical passage that has long been displayed at an East Tennessee city’s police headquarters will be removed following a complaint.

Local news outlets report on Wednesday that Knoxville City Law Director Charles Swanson says the East Tennessee chapter of the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a complaint in February about Knoxville police’s plaque, which is located on a wall in a non-public area.

The plaque quotes Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us then who can be against us.”

FFRF chapter president Aleta Ledendecker says she believes that with the plaque, KPD promotes Christianity over other religions.

Swanson says the city could have defended the plaque in court but agreed with Mayor Madeline Rogero’s position not to spend taxpayer money to fund that defense.

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