Following a Garland County Tea Party meeting Wednesday, members agreed to host a prayer gathering today for local law enforcement officers.
Party Chairman Dr. Jack Sternberg said the event is completely spontaneous, but came to light when he started the group's meeting with a prayer for law enforcement officers after the recent deaths of police officers across the nation. Sternberg said the party members discussed organizing a prayer meeting in Garland County and everybody agreed.
"This is not a Tea Party event," Sternberg said. "This is strictly a nondenominational event because we care about our law enforcement officers and firemen."
The prayer gathering begins today at 10 a.m. at the Hot Springs Police Department, 641 Malvern Ave., and will move to the Garland County Sheriff's Department, 525 Ouachita Ave., at 10:30 a.m.
"We have no idea who's going to be there, how many people will be there," Sternberg added. "We're just letting the spirit move in people and we'll see what happens."
Sternberg said his son is a Pulaski County sheriff's deputy, and after a recent conversation with him, he learned several law enforcement officers are becoming nervous or afraid in the field after the deaths of other police officers.
"I think we need to encourage them," Sternberg said, adding he wants officers to know they are respected.
Local on 09/04/2015