Minneapolis, Minn. Kenosha, Wis. Portland, Ore. All cities thrust into the national spotlight as they were set ablaze by looters and arsonists. 

Out of the ashes emerged the “defund the police” movement, a new progressive rallying cry that has activists and out-of-touch city politicians actively defunding police departments, thereby endangering communities and the citizens who live in them. Politicians are willfully abandoning the first duty of government – the protection of life, liberty and property, even as they express concern over the sudden spike in crime and wonder where the police are. 

Every day, police officers put their lives on the line, a sacrifice that officers knowingly take in order to protect and serve. Despite that, the media, politicians and activists are spinning a false narrative of an American public that is supportive of their political agenda, instead of their local law enforcement. 

The reality is that support for the law enforcement and the first responder community is overwhelmingly positive.

• 90% of voters support them, and 81% of those same voters have a favorable view of law enforcement.
• 64% of voters believe that police brutality is not a systemic problem but a few bad factors that should be held accountability.
• 67% of voters have an unfavorable opinion of defunding the police.
• 75% of voters believe the police should get more funding to help with training and better equipment.
• The protests have dropped in popularity dramatically: 56% of voters believe the protests are now violent.

Americans still want to see police presence in and protection of their communities, and politicians must acknowledge this. We cannot stand idly by – we must work together to ensure the safety of Americans by supporting the blue. They deserve our defending, not defunding. 

This is why we are on the advisory board for Fight for Our Heroes, an organization that seeks to educate and mobilize the public in support of our nation’s police, first responders, and emergency personnel. We are a pro-law enforcement organization dedicated to the safety and security of our communities by standing with those on the front lines. 

While the news may tell one story, poll numbers show voters are overwhelmingly in support of keeping communities safe and backing our police. We are well positioned to make a huge impact in this year's election for first responders who desperately need our support and backing. 

Targeting four major battleground states to dominate the message in Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, we are working to educate voters about the incredible challenges our heroic first responders face every single day. Our efforts are helping to mobilize first responders and targeted voters to build a strong, engaged grassroots movement to bring about change on the local, state, and federal levels. 

We will never forget 9/11 and the thousands of remarkable men and women in uniform who ran toward the World Trade Center buildings. To this day, these heroes continue to run into buildings, toward accidents, and into dangerous situations every day to protect and serve us all. 

Fight for Our Heroes was founded to put pressure on political leaders to ensure they continue to stand with our police, first responders, and emergency personnel across America. 

Together, we must ensure that we defend these heroes, not defund them. 

They have always had our back. Now it is our turn to have theirs.