CHARLOTTE (CBS Charlotte) — Chaplains for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department were told to stop praying in Jesus’ name during public events.

According to WSOC-TV, the police department felt that it was disrespectful to other faiths and religions.

Pastor Terry Sartain, who has been a chaplain with the police department for the past seven years, asked to withdraw after the ban.

“When I heard this I was sad,” Sartain told WSOC. “”I asked if I could withdraw, because Jesus is the only thing I have to bless people with.”

The American Civil Liberties Union backs the ban.

“It’s past time when they should’ve made a policy,” Jim Gronquist, lawyer and member of the ACLU, told the station. “It’s improper to mix up religion with the function of state agents, and as long as they’re state agents, they should not be able to do that.”