Law enforcement and firefighters posed for group photos for The Pickens County Chronicle prior to the 6 p.m. start of the 2025 Back the Blue K-9 One-Mile Run/Walk on Thursday, September 11. Eight-year-old Grayson Moore proudly held an American flag. This year’s event, which started in front of Pickens First Baptist Church and ended at The Open Door, benefitted The Hiding Place, a non-profit organization in Pickens County serving survivors of domestic violence.

Pickens Police Chief Randal Beach spoke with The Pickens County Chronicle before the event began. “We do the Back the Blue K-9 Run every year, but this year we decided to have it on September 11,” he said. “And also it’s an opportunity for all the proceeds to go to The Hiding Place, to get all law enforcement in a common purpose to really take a stand against domestic violence and violence, in general.” Referring to the 24^th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, he added, “I was at Ground Zero, and, so, it’s kind of emotive for me.” He said that it was great to have the Pickens Police Department, the Liberty Police Department, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, and Fire Departments involved. “It will be a great night out here,” he said. Pointing out the large American flag that the Fire Department had raised over Main Street, he said, “The Fire Department, FDNY, really took a toll that day, on 9-11, and it’s just a great way to not forget about what happened in our country.”