CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — As the sun rose, Canyon County residents looking to catch a good spot for Caldwell's Fourth of July parade began heading downtown.
At 9:30 a.m., parade floats began their journey through downtown, but one purple squad car was unveiled to the public featuring a deeper message.
The Canyon County Sheriff's Office on Thursday unveiled its new "Domestic Violence Awareness Patrol Car" to raise awareness about abuse. The new design features a purple ribbon and a hashtag reading "BREAKTHECYCLE," as domestic violence is a learned behavior, the sheriff's office said.
"I hope this car will bring even more awareness to an issue that is so prevalent in our society today," Sheriff Kieran Donahue said in a news release. "I understand that domestic violence is difficult to talk about, but we cannot continue to stay silent. We must do what we can to raise awareness and help change the next generation of children so they understand the importance of strong, healthy relationships."
The squad car also features the Canyon County Sheriff's Office's new badge with a seven-star design, which is a callback to the badges sheriffs wore in 1891. The office said the sheriff and deputies will begin wearing the badge on Oct. 1.
"As I get ready to begin my fourth term as Canyon County Sheriff, I wanted to do something to honor the sheriffs who came before me and provide a new sense of pride for the incredible men and women serving Canyon County today," Donahue said. "That said, this wouldn't have happened without the input of my command staff. They played a big part in helping design our new badge and getting us to where we are today."
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