Dozens march downtown Nicholasville for ‘Back the Blue’ walk

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) — Though some perceptions about police have changed across the nation this year, in Jessamine County people wanted to make it known they “back the blue”.

In an effort to show support to law enforcement a group marched marched through downtown Saturday night.

Nicholasville Backs the Blue Walk shows support to local law enforcement. It brought out several dozens of people.

Co-organizers Ryan Mills and Josh Parsons were inspired by a Madison County Blue Walk in August.

“I think that sometimes people are looking for an avenue to show their support and this walk creates that avenue,” says Ryan Mills.

But it hasn’t been easy making the event happen. The two tried to get a city permit for the event, but say they were denied.

“We stayed persistent and went ahead and pushed forward and purchased the insurance and went through Frankfort, all the avenues to make it as safe as we could to get this done,” says Mills.

Mills says they got an encroachment permit to shut Main Street down so they could walk from the police department to the courthouse.

Supporting law enforcement is personal for Mills who’s brother is a sheriff’s deputy in Indiana. He made it down for the event.

“We are very proud to have support from communities to come out and really back us so we really appreciate that,” says Deputy Ben Mills.

Deputy Mills acknowledges this time hasn’t been easy for officers.

“There’s been a lot of pressure but there’s a lot of good people out there that do support us,” he says.

And the support has been big. Nicholasville Police say they’re appreciative of the support. Sergeant Kevin Grimes says they try to always focus on community and relationships and feel for the most part they have a positive one with the community.

To get the event out there, Mills made a Faceook group.

“Called ‘Nicholasville Backs the Blue’ and it went from 50 members to over 2,200 in seven to eight days,” says Mills.

His hope is to make this an annual event, Mills says because without the peacemaker, there is no peace.