The Berlin Borough Police Department Honor Guard presents the Nation’s colors at Lincoln Financial Field before the Eagles vs. Rams game on Sunday, September 21.
The Berlin Borough Police Department Honor Guard proudly presented the Nation’s colors before kickoff at the Philadelphia Eagles versus Los Angeles Rams game on Sunday, Sept. 21, at Lincoln Financial Field. The moment added to the excitement of the day as the Eagles secured a victory, improving their record to 3-0 for the 2025 season.
For Berlin’s Honor Guard, this marks the second time they have been invited to perform at an Eagles game, a rare opportunity that members of the department do not take lightly.
“It was a great experience,” said Lt. Joshua Smith, who leads the Honor Guard. ” … It is such an honor and privilege to be asked to do such a thing.”
The officers who participated described the event as both thrilling and humbling.
“It is always a great honor to present our Nation’s colors, but in front of a crowd of this magnitude, you cannot describe the overall excitement and thrill,” Smith shared.
Though Berlin is a small town in Camden County, Smith said the event demonstrated that “no task is too big or too small for us to handle. With our dedicated staff and officers, anything is possible, and the Honor Guard is just one highlighted area of our agency that shines, but it represents our agency as a whole.”
For the Berlin community, seeing their local police officers on such a national stage is a source of pride.
“Since this is not the first time for us as a department and unit, it means that we are continuing to meet the same high standard we have set for ourselves since the creation of the unit,” Smith explained, adding that public ceremonies like these also help foster stronger bonds between law enforcement and the community.
“Our officers are prepared for any requests, events, or calls for service that come our way. We may not be a large county or state agency, but by building relationships and maintaining communication, we ensure we can obtain the resources we need.
“At the same time, we want the public to know that the Berlin Police Department maintains a high professional standard guided by our core values: Honor, Integrity, Community, and Service.”
Hours of preparation result in the powerful moments on the field.
“We meet as a unit and practice what we believe would be an acceptable approach to the field,” Smith explained. “From there a routine is established and practiced repeatedly until it becomes muscle memory.”
The Berlin Police Honor Guard was formally adopted in 2023 by Chief Michael Scheer, with Smith as its lead. Since then, the unit has presented the colors at school graduations, 9/11 ceremonies, Veteran’s Day services, law enforcement memorials, candlelight vigils, Phillies and Eagles games, and even Monster Energy AMA Supercross events at Lincoln Financial Field.
