“When our flag is lifted up, we too feel we can rise above our circumstances,” Arpaio said. “My hope is that incarcerated inmates begin to get a sense of honor when wearing the flag.”

Inmates currently wear drab black and white striped jumpsuits.

According to a sheriff department release, Arpaio is described as taking patriotism very seriously.

“Each day inmates listen to ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ and ‘God Bless America’ on the public address system, a practice Arpaio began 10 years ago. For the same number of years, under the sheriff’s direction, American flags have been attached in each jail cell. Sheriff Arpaio instructed that inmates found defacing the flags to be placed on bread and water, as a form of discouragement,” it said.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com