Thousands of Texans ‘back the blue’ in statewide salute to slain sheriff’s deputy

Published 3:00 pm Friday, September 4, 2015

By Community News Content

Cleburne, Texas residents lined the street at Friday to cheer on police officers as they slowly drove their patrol cars with their blue and red and lights swirling as part of a statewide tribute to slain Harris County, Texas Sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth. 

Final respects were paid to Darren Goforth Friday morning, not just by friends and family attending the slain Harris County Deputy’s funeral in Houston, but also thousands of Texas residents, as well as law enforcement officers across the Lone Star state.  

Earlier this week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott asked Texas police departments to honor Goforth’s memory by flashing the red and blue lights atop their cruisers for one minute at 11 a.m., the time Goforth’s funeral was scheduled to begin.
 
Abbott has also ordered Texas flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff today.
 
Goforth, a 10-year veteran of Harris County Sheriff’s Office, was shot multiple times from behind while pumping gas on August 28. Police later arrested and charged Shannon J. Miles in connection with the fatal shooting.
 
Police departments across the state planned similar tributes in conjunction with Abbott’s call to action. 
 
The Commerce, Texas Police Department, in addition to holding a memorial service outside its building, asked residents to post photos of themselves wear something blue, displaying a sign supporting law enforcement, or donning a ribbon to their Facebook page along with the hashtags #backtheblue and #commercepolicedepartment.
 
In addition to asking local residents to wear blue on Friday, Cleburne, Texas, Mayor Scott Cain presented a proclamation the Cleburne Police Department (CPD) urging residents to pause at 11 a.m. to pray for the safety of CPD police officers as well as Goforth’s family.

“You’d have to be living under a rock not to realize that our officers have been under attack of late as never before,” Cain said.

Cleburne residents lined a local street at 11 a.m. to cheer on police officers as they slowly drove their patrol cars with their blue and red and lights swirling.

“To our officers, I say thank you for putting on a badge and saying ‘Not on my watch,’’ Cain said. “May God protect you while you protect us.”

The Cleburne (Texas) Times Review and the Herald-Banner in Greenville, Texas contributed details to this story.