Hundreds Rally In Support Of Law Enforcement
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Hundreds of people gathered at the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Sunday to show their support of law enforcement after recent shootings involving officers.
Park County Sheriff's Office Cpt. Nate Carrigan was shot and killed last week while serving an eviction notice in Bailey.
He became what many see as the latest fatality in a disturbing trend of disrespecting the police.
"It's scary every day that he goes out there," said Debbie Blanc whose husband has been a police officer with the Denver Police Department for 12 years.
She's been living with a growing fear for her husband's safety for the past decade.
"I think society has changed in the way they think about our police officers and I think that people don't respect them like they used to," said Blanc.
Blanc joined some 200 others at the fairgrounds to make a statement in support of law enforcement.
"It seems like every single day there's more of a separation between our public and our police," said rally organizer Ron MacLachlan.
Sunday's rally was the third MacLachlan has organized in the past year.
"A lot of people in the community think the police are out to get them. I know, I grew up in the community and I always felt the people were out to get me until I realized better," said MacLachlan.
Businessman Casper Stockham believes relationships need to be formed with the police.
"If we get the young people in the community thanking police and getting to know their local police, there will be less crime, there will be less confrontations because the two sides will know each other," said Stockham.
"Even the people who are protesting them, if their children are gone, missing or harmed who are they going to call?" asked MacLachlan.
Howard Nathan is a veteran newsman. Decades later, he still enjoys writing a clever sentence, asking the tough question and talking to people in Colorado. Follow him on Twitter @CBS4Howard and read his bio.
