They are Protectors of the Thin Blue Line.

For a second straight year, Bikers Against Cop Killers Inc. will have a strong presence at this year’s Palmerton Community Festival.

The organization will be set up at the area of Fourth and Franklin Avenue, according to Tom Correa Sr., national president of Bikers Against Cop Killers Inc.

Correa said B.A.C.K. is an emergency services/law enforcement support motorcycle organization.

“Our job is to keep the memory alive of the fallen, support the living and show support to their families and the surrounding communities,” Correa said. “Our motto most concisely describes our mission; we are protectors along with that we support all in the emergency services field, their families and the communities.”

Correa said B.A.C.K. was formed by Matthew Vangeli in August 2012.

“This visionary knew that many others would come from different walks of life but with the same goal, not let our fallen officers be forgotten,” he said. “One important factor in this man’s decision to start this organization was partially due to the loss of a good friend that he considered his brother, Mount Arlington, New Jersey, police officer Joseph Wargo Jr.

“To us he will always be ‘Joey,’ and the reason we exist and strive to do more, along with his desire to give B.A.C.K.”

Correa said they are a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit organization, and were incorporated in 2015.

He said the organization has a national charter, two chapters in Pennsylvania, three chapters in New Jersey, one chapter in Arizona, one Heaven’s Gate chapter (that keeps the names and memories alive of fallen members) and plans to soon open another in western Pennsylvania.

“With being an organization in its infancy, we are growing steadily but avoiding a rapid growth,” Correa said. “Our membership currently has approximately 90 members, with our support system that we call the Women of Back who are the wives and girlfriends of the members and two honorary members.”

Correa said this will mark the group’s second year at the festival.

“We have various members, along with myself who live or have lived in the Palmerton community for many years, we have coached soccer for the local kids or have been involved within the community one way or another, we felt the need to continue our relationship with the community our families grew up with and loved,” he said. “Our first year at the festival we were well received.”

Correa said they will be selling goods, such as support T-shirts, stickers and other trinkets; advertise any upcoming events they will be having; along with “spreading the Founders vision to help others in need and in attempt to gain membership to our organization and just let the general public know that bikers are not bad and we support our communities.”

“The funds we obtain will help us to continue our organization, along with make a percentage of a donation to either a local emergency services provider or a family in need in the community,” he said. “(Its goal is to) promote our organization, gain membership and support followers, sell our products to enable us to continue our mission, promote our upcoming events and then at the end of the festival make a donation to a local emergency services organization from a portion of the sales made at the festival.”

Correa said that Sept. 18 is the date for the organization’s national event, that will host upward of 600 riders to obtain donations for local police and emergency service providers. All proceeds will be donated to numerous agencies, he said.

For more information, visit www.backmc.org, email admin@backmc.org, or follow them on Facebook.