Wearing theme T-shirts and holding original posters, members of North Alabama Police Wives met at the Fallen Officers Memorial in Huntsville recently to show support for their husbands. (Contributed/Melanie Kolowski Photography)

HUNTSVILLE – Members of North Alabama Police Wives recently gathered to show support for their husbands who serve and protect their communities every day.

“These women came together to show support for the men that matter most in our lives: our husbands, our hearts, our heroes, our police officers,” Vickie Young said. Young’s husband is a Madison police officer.

The group assembled at the Fallen Officers Memorial on Wheeler Avenue in Huntsville on Sept. 13. Wives represented police officers from Huntsville and Madison police departments, Madison County Sheriff’s Department and Redstone Police Department.

In addition, other wives traveled from Cullman, Priceville, Talladega, Decatur, Guntersville, St. Florian, Sheffield, Muscle Shoals and Marshall County. “Alabama State Troopers attended, as well Melanie Kolowski Photography, who offered her services free of charge for our cause,” Sam Deen said. Deen’s husband is an officer on Redstone arsenal.

“We believe our most important mission is to show not our officers we support them but to show the public these men are more then just a badge — they are husbands, fathers, sons and daughters,” Young said.

For their photo, the wives wore “# Blue Lives Matter” T-shirts and made posters with individualized messages, like “He is my hero” and “Because he’s mine, I walk the line.”

“Just as our officers wear the badge on their chest and the target on their back, we wear it as a family,” Young said. The wives show their support safely, reminding “everyone they are loving parts of our families and not just a uniform. Hazards and negativity of their jobs impact families. Hurt one of us, and we all bleed ‘blue.'”

“With assaults against officers on the rise, we wanted to show we will not hide,” Deen said. “Our support will not waver. We will forever stand beside our officers … ‘Behind the Badge and Walk that Thin Blue Line.'”

North Alabama Police Wives membership is open to any wife, fiancée or significant other of a police officer. A current member must recommend the prospective member.