Cherokee County Celebrates Seventh Annual Faith and Blue Weekend

CHEROKEE COUNTY, KS. — Law enforcement officers, faith leaders and community members gathered in Cherokee County for the seventh annual Faith and Blue event, bringing the community together to strengthen relationships between local residents and the officers who serve them.

National Faith & Blue Weekend is a collaborative initiative designed to build safer, stronger and more inclusive communities by connecting law enforcement with residents through faith-based organizations. Its mission is to foster mutual respect, trust and understanding between neighborhoods and local police.

Shane Dotson, pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Baxter Springs, Kansas, said the event began seven years ago when members of the faith-based community wanted to show their support for law enforcement amid growing national debate over policing.

"The faith-based community came together to let our law enforcement and families and personnel know that they are respected and were being prayed for," Dotson said.

Since its beginning, the annual rally has focused on supporting local, county and state law enforcement agencies and giving officers an opportunity to connect with residents outside their professional duties.

Cherokee County Sheriff Brian Henderson said the event helps build personal connections between officers and community members.

"It helps us grow and bond where we get to meet everybody on a personal level and become more of a personal instead of just us and them," Henderson said. "And it grows our bond and strengthens us."

Churches show appreciation for local officers

Faith and Blue activities take place across the country throughout the national weekend. In the Cherokee County area, local churches have continued the tradition by organizing events to recognize law enforcement officers and show appreciation for their service.

Fellowship Baptist Church hosted an ice cream social for the Baxter Springs Police Department on Sunday, an annual gathering intended to thank officers for their work in the community.

The Cherokee County event also provided an opportunity for residents and officers to share a meal, spend time together and build relationships. The gathering concluded with members of the faith-based community praying over the law enforcement officers in attendance.

Henderson said the support is meaningful to officers, who often respond to people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Sherriff Henderson, who also serves as a pastor said faith and community support can help officers cope with the difficult situations they encounter on the job.

He explained that people experiencing a crisis may not always respond calmly, and officers must remember that their interactions often happen during moments of extreme stress. Having a supportive community provides officers with people they can turn to after experiencing difficult calls.

Guest speakers share stories of addiction and redemption

This year's event also featured guest speakers Dale Karnes and Tim Botts, whose relationship began through a criminal investigation and eventually developed into a lasting friendship.

Karnes, a former firefighter, struggled with methamphetamine addiction. After attending a Christian correctional facility for nine months, he relapsed and later served six years in prison. He now works at Robertson Tire in Miami, Oklahoma, and shares his story to encourage others.

Botts, a former special agent with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, worked on Karnes' case and arrested him during his first encounter with law enforcement.

During their presentations, the two men reflected on Karnes' past, the challenges addiction brought to the region and the importance of compassion and accountability.

Botts recalled the prevalence of methamphetamine in the area during his early years investigating drug cases.

"That first four years, we tore it up, we had a lot of meth in this area, we led the nation as one and two. Missouri, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas on the amount of meth labs," Botts said. "But what we didn't do is spend a lot of time trying to figure out how we can help those dealing with addiction."

Karnes credited Botts' intervention with helping change the course of his life.

"I want you guys to know that I stand here today alive. Because I shouldn't be here, because that man intervened on God's behalf," Karnes said.

Now friends, the two use their experiences to encourage others and highlight the possibility of change, even after years of addiction and involvement with the criminal justice system.

Karnes also encouraged law enforcement officers to continue approaching their work with dedication and compassion.

"You guys keep doing your job. Keep doing it faithfully and keep doing it with compassion because it's not just a job," Karnes said. "But what you guys have is not just a job, it affects people's lives and I'm very proud of each of you for the job you do."

Faith and recovery offer hope for the future

The themes of compassion and second chances also connect with Dotson's ministry at Fellowship Baptist Church, where many members are recovering from addiction and now help others begin their own recovery journeys.

Dotson said he left the Joplin Police Department in 2019 and later entered recovery ministry after what he described as a calling from God in 2022. Through the church, he has seen people who once struggled with addiction find hope and support others facing similar challenges.

He said the church's approach centers on recognizing each person's story and offering encouragement rather than defining people by their past.

"We serve a God that has more mercy and grace than we ever could have imagined," Dotson said. "And we are called to have the same grace and mercy on people."

Dotson added that he believes people facing addiction deserve support and the opportunity to build a different future.

"Everybody has a story," Dotson said. "We, as Christ followers, I believe, are called to support them and love them in their addiction and to see that God can bring them out of that addiction and give them a hope and a life that they never knew existed."

Through its annual rally, community gatherings and personal testimonies, Faith and Blue continues to bring Cherokee County residents and law enforcement together with a shared focus on trust, understanding and support.

For organizers and participants, the event serves as a reminder that stronger communities can be built through meaningful relationships, compassion and a willingness to see beyond a person's uniform or past.