Behind the Badge
An ardent law enforcement advocate whose Facebook page, “The Thin Blue Line Supporters,” draws nationwide support recently launched a new campaign on the social networking site aimed at keeping officers safe.
Created by Valerie Mann of Orange, the new page, “Protect Our Blue 2017,” encourages citizens to “Watch our BLUE while they are stopped on a call.”
The mission statement goes on to say, “Keep your distance and do not get involved.”
The campaign cautions citizens to stay back while officers do their job, but still keep a watchful eye on what’s happening, should a situation go awry.
“It’s basically a watch-and-report campaign,” Mann said. “So far I have had positive feedback all around. It has already hit all the states. Supporters are all on board and are happy to be the extra pair of eyes to keep our law enforcement safe.”
On Dec. 23, for example, Mann sat in her car in a parking lot and watched an officer pull someone over about 50 feet away.
“I took down the location, vehicle information and description of the driver,” she said. “Once the officer cleared the call safely, I went on my way.”
Mann plans to draft an open letter to law enforcement agencies describing the campaign and post it on the Facebook page.
The page also provides a link to a website where supporters can buy decals that read “#ProtectOurBlue2017” at a cost of $5 for a pack of two.
Mann’s group, “The Thin Blue Line Supporters,” which she launched in 2014, currently has more than 16,000 members.
In recent years, Mann has organized events such as Coffee With Cuffs, where she encouraged the public to buy a cup of coffee for an officer, and Operation Cookie, where she dropped off cookies to the Tustin Police Department and asked her Facebook followers to do the same in their hometowns.
In August, Mann donated 40 care packages for Tustin’s patrol officers and a large bag of snacks and supplies for the communications team. She paid for most of the items out of her own pocket.
In September, Mann hosted the Facebook group’s first ever Meet-and-Greet in Tustin’s Centennial Park. Many Tustin officers turned out, along with members of her Facebook group.
Mann hopes to organize another meet and greet in the Inland Empire.
She also organized a month-long event in 2015, urging those who support police to turn their Facebook profile picture blue. Thousands participated, Mann said.
Part of Mann’s reason for organizing support for law enforcement stems from having two brothers serving in separate out-of-state agencies.
She also was frustrated by what she believes has been the unfair negative portrayal of law enforcement around the country.
“I just consider law enforcement family and want to find ways to bring people together and keep officers safe.”
To visit Valerie Mann’s new Facebook page, go to Facebook and type: Protect Our Blue 2017 in the search engine.
