By Jessica Shorten
SPLENDORA – On Saturday, July 9, three men decided to do something a little different for their weekend. James Evans, Roger Tarrant, and Paul Wilson of Splendora woke up and decided to head down to both the Patton Village and Splendora Police Departments and show their support for our law enforcement. This comes in light of the recent tragedy in Dallas, in which officers were shot down by a sniper simply for doing their job. The three men started out in Patton Village at around 9 a.m. and stayed there until about 11:30 a.m., which is when they moved to the parking lot of the Splendora Police Department and City Hall.
With their AR-15 rifles in hand, they stood in the heat and gained quite a bit of attention. A large number of passersby honked their horns in approval, while others stopped for photos, selfies, and to personally thank them for what they were doing. James Evans stated that he, “wanted to show police that civilians stood by them, that they aren’t alone.”
“I am tired of seeing officers slain for doing their job,” he said. His message was heard by many, as citizens and local businesses began sending water and food for them to enjoy. “We had to put some of the food on the hood of our truck just so people would know that we were good,” joked Evans.
The trio even got the support of Roman Forest Chief Stephen Carlisle, who stated he supports these young men and the Roman Forest Police Department thanks them for having their backs. He stayed and chatted for a while as well as took several photos with them.
The Splendora Police Department acknowledged their gesture and appreciated it too. They want the community to know that these men have a thorough understanding of gun safety and are very respectful of the law.
People were very enthusiastic over the courage they had to go out and display their support for law enforcement. Shaylie Wright, one of many eager supporters, said, “It’s awesome, what they are doing.”
Even with all of this newfound popularity, they don’t let the reason they did this in the first place slip their minds, and neither should we. The citizens of Montgomery County support our officers.
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