Flags that flew high in the sky for the Fourth of July were lowered to half-staff Friday in honor of the five officers killed in Dallas Thursday night.

Although the shooting was nearly 2,000 miles away, it might as well have happened next door, said members of the Kootenai County law enforcement family.

"When something like this happens, you feel it no matter where you are," said Coeur d'Alene Police Detective Jared Reneau.

The Coeur d'Alene Police Department was "almost eerily quiet" Friday, Reneau said.

"It's absolutely somber," he said. "It's a quiet place around here where it's generally, on a normal day, we're pretty light and working hard and getting things done."

Reneau said hearing about tragedies like the Dallas shooting "hits home" even moreso in the last year as the shooting death of Sgt. Greg Moore is still fresh in the minds of members of law enforcement and the community. He said the thoughts and prayers of the department are, and will continue to be, with the families of those murdered Thursday night, as well as those injured in the shooting.

"You don't know them, but they are still part of the same thing that you do," said Lt. Stu Miller with the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office. "They are trying to keep people safe."

He said it was a "senseless tragedy" that the officers were shot just because they were police officers.

"I think we are all saddened," said Kootenai County Sheriff Ben Wolfinger. "It's a terrible tragedy that the Dallas officers were targeted like that — and there is no other way to put it than being targeted. They were doing their job with a peaceful, constitutional protest and just basically targeted. And I think we all grieve that in different ways, but it also makes us more vigilant and aware of our surroundings."

Rathdrum Police Lt. Tomi McLean said she and her fellow officers didn't know the officers who were shot, or any members of the Dallas police department, yet she said it feels as if they do know them.

"We stand by them when they are mourning," she said. "And it really brings back Sgt. Greg Moore and what happened to him — it really brings back a lot of emotions with that."

McLean said it is "unimaginable" to think about the five funerals to come and what the families and other Dallas officers are going through, but said the community support in North Idaho helps a lot on the local level.

Coeur d'Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer sent a message to city employees Friday morning encouraging the community to show support.

"In the wake of the national tragedies that we have most recently witnessed, it is very important that we support our community and each other," Widmyer wrote. "In particular the men and women of the Coeur d'Alene Police Department. I wish I had an answer on how to stop the senseless violence. Unfortunately there isn't one answer. But maybe we can start in our community by promoting the message that we care and support everyone. That violence against anyone is unacceptable. Thank you for all that you do to make our community a great place to call home."

Rathdrum, Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls police departments, as well as the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, all witnessed an outpouring of support from the community following the shooting. Businesses delivered treats, fruits and gift cards to Coeur d'Alene PD, and letters, emails and Facebook comments were received by local law enforcement throughout the day Friday. McLean said several businesses and civilians came into the Rathdrum department to show their support in person.

"We've had people come in and tell me that 'We do support you, we do care about you and we are here for you.'" McLean said. "I think that is the good thing about this community as a whole ... we have a lot of support, law enforcement does, and that makes it easier."

When The Press spoke with Lt. Miller at KCSO, he had just received a letter from a gentleman whom Miller said regularly shows his support for law enforcement. Still holding the letter in his hands, Miller said he has seen the words contained in the letter before, floating around Facebook and Twitter, but was touched by the fact the man brought it in to say "thank you" to the sheriff's office.

The letter began with: "I want you to know that I see you." Every sentence thereafter started with "I see." For example: "I see you walking to your next traffic stop while you hope that it isn't your last," and "I see that you are tired. I see that you are frustrated and misunderstood. I see that you are hurting as the world watches you bury your brothers and sisters that died because they are guilty of one thing; wearing a uniform and a badge."

Miller said a woman phoned Friday morning as well to offer her support, asking if there was "anything (she) could do to help."

"We have such huge and wonderful community support here," Wolfinger said. "Our guys do a good job and the community supports the job that they do here locally and we're truly blessed to be living and working here."