Thousands converge to Woodward Park for Fresno PD's Support Blue Run

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Nothing short of pride and support from thousands of people Saturday morning and it was all for the Fresno Police Department. The cold, near freezing, temperatures couldn't keep them away, runners from near and far came decked out in blue for Fresno PD's third annual Support Blue Run.

"Fresno is very unique in the fact that we have constantly seen that outpouring of support for law enforcement. We haven't seen that around the country but we have in Fresno, that's what makes this community so very, very special," Police Chief Jerry Dyer said.

The event has been growing larger each year as more people want to show their love for the officers who keep their city safe. What started with 450 runners the first year, quickly sold out to reach capacity at 3,000 participants.

Fresno Police Chaplain Executive Director, Rodney Lowery said, "Today started out three years ago when that anti-narrative of policing came across the nation and we just thought, wait a minute, we're talking about a small percentage of officers who may have done the wrong thing and forgetting there are 900,000 officers who work in this nation and do the right thing every day."

The first five to finish the 10k received a long-awaited Chief Dyer Bobblehead and everyone got a Support Blue medal at the finish line. Some familiar faces from ABC30 joined in to support. We didn't win a Chief Dyer Bobblehead, but we did get this picture.

Money raised from the run will go to support officers with the Fresno Police Chaplaincy which aims to gain trust in the community and educate kids in local schools.

"We know it is our responsibility to keep people safe, it's our responsibility to make sure people trust us and you're seeing that outpour of confidence in the police department today, as well as law enforcement in the Valley," Dyer said.

The Fresno Police Department says the bobbleheads will eventually be for sale.