ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. – A group in Royal Palm Beach set out Saturday morning to give police officers and deputies some praise.
Lynsey Kirk, whose father, grandfather, uncle and cousins have all served as officers, set up the event. She and about a dozen others held signs on Royal Palm Beach Boulevard asking for drivers to honk in support of law enforcement.
"I just feel frustrated,” Kirk said. “People don't understand what they really have to go through."
Others holding signs said it’s hard for them to watch the negative attention officers and deputies are getting nationwide.
“They get a lot of criticism,” said Karen Haseley.
"They put their life on the line every day for us, and they never know when they're going to come up on a bad situation," said Steve Baker.
Like Kirk, many holding the signs have family or close friends who wear a uniform.
“People don't realize what they go through on a daily basis,” Kirk said. “Disrespect and just a lot of scary times."
The group was pleasantly surprised, receiving hundreds of honks in the short hour and a half they held up the signs. Kirk hopes the message got through loud and clear, reminding people to encourage the men and women who watch out for them.
“Just get out there and show your support,” Kirk said. “Thank an officer for all that they do, because they do. They're really out there for us, to protect us."