Churches Lead March on Monrovia PD … In Support and Love, Rather Than Protest

(Left to Right): Agent Alex Galindo, Jailer Adriana Garcia, Lieutenant Roberto Wilken, Officer Taylor Anaya, and Sergeant Bill Burkhalter (shown kneeling). – Courtesy photo

By Susan Motander

Two churches joined forces last weekend to March on the Monrovia Police Department, but they marched carrying signs that read, in part, “You are Loved” and “Loving Monrovia!”

After the tragedy in Dallas, the show of support for the officers was greatly appreciated, according to Jim Hunt, Monrovia’s police chief.

Sergeant William Burkhalter reported that members of All Nations Church and Vineyard Church marched to the police department on Saturday, July 9, to pray with the officers on duty and to say “thank you.”

According to the sergeant, they also stopped along the way at Myrtle and Maple – and then again in Library Park to pray and show support for the community and the police department.

He also said that the pastors expressed gratitude and support for law enforcement and told the member of the police department that they were they for them, if they were ever needed.

Oliver Chi, Monrovia’s city manager, recently responded to all the support that has been shown to members of Monrovia’s law enforcement community.

In his weekly city manager’s report he wrote: “As our nation continues to mourn and react and respond to the vicious and despicable sniper attack against police officers in Dallas, here at the city, we have felt emotions that range from shock to anger to sadness … to hope. Because as the situation and our emotions have developed these past few days, a feeling we didn’t expect to associate with Dallas has developed throughout our organization… a feeling of gratitude.”

“In the wake of the shooting in Dallas, the tremendous outpouring of support for the Monrovia Police Department has left us all a bit speechless, and all of us feel so blessed to serve this community,” Chi continued, adding, “Thank you so very much, Monrovia, for the calls, and the letters, and the visits, and the vigils, and the rally’s… all in support of the Monrovia Police Department.”

Chief Hunt echoed those sentiments, saying “Those who were working Saturday were touched by the support from the community.” He also noted that in sympathy and support of the Dallas police department, members of his department wore a black mourning band across their badges.

Several of the members of the department who were worked that day posed with the marchers.

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