 As the nation is in turmoil and rioting continues in the streets of larger cities, a peaceful protest took place in the Pipeless City Park over Labor Day weekend to show support and celebrate all law enforcement officers and departments. You know, police officers go through a lot of stuff and police officers are trained to take the abuse, the verbal abuse, and they're trained to put up with all this stuff. But you know what it all boils down to is? The people that are bringing it to them, they have no idea. And I'm just going to end up saying this, I don't want to hold things up until you've walked a mile in their shoes, you need to keep your mouth shut. I met with a few keynote speakers and supporters to find out why law enforcement is important to them. Well I'm here to support our police officers in Eastern Kentucky, not just Eastern Kentucky but across the Commonwealth and this nation. What they do each and every day, putting their lives on the line, is vitally important for us, for law and order in this country and we are a country of law and order and without them it would be utter chaos. As a retired Kentucky State police officer, Blanton feels the officers put the needs of the community above their own. That was my calling and I believe that most that are in law enforcement, it's a calling to them, it's putting others above self. They're the ones that run to the danger when everyone else is trying to run away from it. Blanton also says that with the hostile riding around the nation, law enforcement is being targeted and attacked. And so we have to stand behind them when they think everybody's turned against them, that's not true. Our law enforcement is what stands between us and utter chaos in this country and we have to stand with them during this time. Matt Reynolds, a supporter of the Back to Blue event, says that as a Poc County native, he has grown close to many of the police officers in the area. I'm here just to show my support. I have many police officers that I consider friends, total respect, nothing but respect. They risk their lives. They don't know from day to day what's going to happen. When they go on shift, they don't know what's going to happen. So you have to have a love for this for them to do it. We hear every day about defund the police. I don't understand that, I don't get it because just as soon as something happens to a person, the first thing you do is 911. As soon as you dial that number, you're asking them to put their life in danger. I'd like to thank everybody for the support that they do show us. It's nice to know that they have our back and we have theirs also. We do everything we can to help people in this area and it's nice to have the support shown back to us. During the event, co-owners from the online store Bella Sorrellas Boutique provided Kentucky State Police post-9 with a $3,000 check to assist with their shop with the Trooper event. We thought it would be good for us to do a fundraiser. We have family member and friends who are in law enforcement and we know that they're out here sacrificing and doing things that other people can't do or choose not to do. So we wanted to just highlight that and show our support for them. I want to thank every person out there that does, I mean that puts their life on the line every day for me. That does a job. I mean whatever that job may be from dispatcher, on state police, deputy, I don't care. You're putting your life on the line every time you put on that badge and thank you for that. Really. Know that the community truly is behind you. They may be the silent majority, but they are the majority. We love you, we respect you and we're going to be there for you when times get tough. Reporting for Mountain Top News, I'm Jeremy Justice.