LYNCHBURG, Va. – After recent protests, the Lynchburg Police Department has spent about $77,000 to keep people safe during the demonstrations.
Officials with the department told 10 News officers worked more than 2,000 hours of overtime.
These hours also include the nights when peaceful protests turned violent near Fifth and Federal streets and Miller Park last month.
The department said it encourages peaceful protests and wants people to be safe.
“So that’s why our officers are there; blocking the roadways, leading protesters through the streets when they decide to march because we don’t know when somebody is going to decide to do something. We want to make sure that they stay safe while they’re exercising that right,” said Carrie Dungan, community relations coordinator for the Lynchburg Police Department.
Officers are now asking people organizing protests in the city to fill out an application for a permit. That application can be found on the city’s website.