KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Friday kicked off Faith and Blue Weekend in Kansas City, Kansas, where law enforcement officers and faith leaders meet to strengthen their community.

Friday night’s event, Hands Across State, saw church communities line State Ave from 7th street to past I-435.

“It's community unity, it’s building, it's uplifting, and it shows at the very minimum, ‘Hey, we're in this together,’” said Alvin Dupree, head pastor of Family First Ministries.

“It's a critical, undeniable responsibility that we need to be able to come together as a group.”

Both Dupree and KCK Police Chief Karl Oakman recognized that after the deaths of KCKPD Officer Hunter Simoncic and Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Ming, the two groups needed each other to stay united.

“When lives are lost, peo

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