Church Thanks Local Police Department, Gifts $1,000 to Each Officer

A small-town church in Tennessee has thanked their local police department by gifting $1,000 to every officer serving their community.

Lighthouse Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Tennessee donated a total of $23,000 to the Jonesboro Police Force in a public ceremony in light of nationwide criticism of police officers.

In the days that followed, the church received widespread attention for their generosity and support of the department.

“Our little church just wanted to speak with a loud voice that we support law enforcement, and it seems that has been successful,” Cleek said. “Our voice is being heard all over the country, it seems.”

Perry Cleek, the church’s pastor, was even invited to attend a White House Roundtable event on July 13, where he said:

“Our church watched over the last few weeks, at the way that our police officers were treated all over the country. And it was all over the news about how they are such — you know, they’ve been demonized and disgraced and dishonored.

“And we go our heads together and thought, ‘What can we do as a small church in a small town to honor our police, and to let our voice be known?’ Their voice is loud that blame all this on police officers. The voice of small-town America is seldom heard,” he added.

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