Community members and church leaders gathered together to offer prayers for officers with Port Arthur Police Department on Thursday.

The service, held on a grassy area just past the PAPD’s parking lot, was the vision of the Rev. Lynne Parker of Faith Harbor Assembly of God Church, who had wondered if anyone locally had offered prayers for the fallen Dallas police officers as well as officers in Port Arthur. She said the prayers are for peace and a resolution.

Former Port Arthur councilmember Harold Doucet addressed the crowd with straightforward talk — there are citizens who are afraid of law enforcement and there are members of law enforcement who are afraid of citizens, a solution is needed.

Treating each other with respect and dignity is necessary.

“It’s better to be proactive than reactive,” Doucet said.

PAPD Officer Rickey Antoine said the groups did not come to the vigil to bicker and that if God is out of the equation, things get worse.

“We came here to pray,” Antoine said. “Love conquers all. The Bible says love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

But can the current tension between citizens and law enforcement be fixed, he asked.

“Everything that involves the human element causes division. Everything that man puts his hands on causes division,” he said. “I’m here to tell you, I work there (police department). There are men and women who will put their very lives on the line, even if you don’t like them. Even if you march in front of the station like they did in Dallas, those officers still protected people. We will stand and protect each and every one of you no matter what.”

Antoine admitted that police can be wrong but it’s better to comply with an officer’s directive and complain later.

“We have a system and believe me, Rickey Antoine has been on the carpet and it works. If an officer if wrong he’ll have to pay for it,” he said.

The Rev. Glenn Alexander of Ruach Ministries Words of Healing explained the reason that “a bad situation” was what eventually led to Thursday’s prayer service.

“God had gotten our attention and the church has assembled herself from our houses,” Alexander said. “We are coming together for a healing process and cover our police officers and first responders with prayer.

All lives matter — blue lives, black lives, white lives, brown lives, all lives.

“There is no color in the spirit,” he said. “If I cut myself I’ll bleed red.”

The Rev. John Morgan of United Christian Fellowship Church, also offered prayers saying the answer is in God.

Officers held hands in a circle with community members circling them in a larger circle as the minsters offered prayers.

Afterward, the groups mingled, shook hands and some continued in prayer. Robert Flores took time to personally pray with PAPD Officer Calvin Walker.

“As a police officer it’s good to have community support and being from Port Arthur this shows there’s a lot of love in this city,” Walker said.

Twitter: @MaryMeauxPANews