Hundreds gather in support of police in Dorchester

“To all those who organized and attended today’s pro-police rally in Dorchester, the men and women of the Boston Police Department can’t thank you enough,” the department said in a statement.Courtesy of the Boston Police Department

Boston Police Department officials were happy to see hundreds of demonstrators participate in a peaceful pro-police rally in Dorchester on Thursday afternoon.

Boston Police spokesman James Kenneally said around 300-400 people gathered at Adams Corner at approximately 3:30 pm to show their appreciation for Boston’s police force.

“The mere presence, the decision to gather and get together and the fact that they wanted to send a message loud and clear that the community at large cares about their police officers,” Kenneally said. “That message was well-received by members of the Boston Police Department.”

Kenneally said the demonstrators were people of all ages “from the community, people who live in the community, people who grew up in that section of the city [and] people who personally know police officers.”

Demonstrators held signs that read “We support the Boston Police” and “Honk if you love the BPD!!” Several police officers in uniform were also in attendance.

The rally comes at a time of national tension over police relations with the communities they serve, with protests in Boston and cities across the country sparked by the fatal police shooting of an unarmed teen in Ferguson, Mo.

“This is how we do things in Boston. We support our community and the community supports us,” said Chief William Gross said in a statement. “It’s called community policing and we take great pride in the relationship and partnership that exists between the people of this community and our police department. But to see this kind of support means a lot to our officers and we’re certainly grateful for it.”