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North Texans Support Officers During 'Project Blue Light'

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COLLIN COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - Protests against police… officers assassinated... and now a show of support for police officers is swelling in North Texas and across the country.

This year Project Blue Light is a simple gesture to thank officers who put their lives on the line to protect their community. For years, Project Blue Light has recognized police officers, across the country, who died in the line of duty.

A group of families in Plano are leading the charge of support.

A single blue porch light is one way people can show they support every police office that works the streets.

Ashlee Hardy lost her husband on July 7, 2007.

Plano police Officer West Hardy was on his motorcycle chasing a speeder when he hit another car that pulled out in front of him. At the time of his death Officer Hardy's twin daughters were just 3-years-old.

Ashlee Hardy is the new president of Metroplex C.O.P.S. – C.O.P.S. stands for concerns of police survivors.

Members of the organization want others to show their support for police now and next Friday, February 9, which is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.

Ashlee Hardy said, "We're hoping that they realize there is someone out there, an officer that gets ready every single morning, says goodbye to his family, puts that badge and that gun on, and he may never come home."

Officer Hardy's twins, now 10 years old, say they don't like the negative sentiment directed at police in recent weeks.

Cora Hardy said people, "…shouldn't misjudge them [officers] and think that they're bad guys, because they're not. And they should stop killing them, because they are just hurting their kids and their wives and their families."

Last year 11 police officers lost their lives in the line of duty in Texas.

Project Blue Light week started on New Year's Day and runs through January 7.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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