Police officers from Dallas are in San Antonio supporting SAPD as the community prepares to say goodbye to Officer Miguel Moreno. 

"We're here to support our brothers and sisters in blue," said Demarcus Turner, a Dallas police officer who hit the streets of San Antonio Thursday alongside SAPD officers. "Those guys came down a year ago and today we're doing the same thing."

About 20 officers volunteered to assist the Alamo City with patrolling, allowing more SAPD officers to attend the funeral of Miguel Moreno.  SAPD did the same thing for Dallas last year, when five officers there were ambushed and killed by a gunman.

“We weren't looking for the favor to be returned, but here we are,” said SAPD Chief William McManus.

The departments share a common threat.

“It's far too common. I don't know what has gotten into people who think they can go out and shoot the police. I don't know why people think it’s okay to advocate for that, condone that. Celebrate it. Doesn't make any sense to me,” said McManus. 

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, 68 officers across the country have died in the line of duty so far this year. Twenty five of those were killed by gunfire, which is up 25 percent from the year before.

“It’s not okay. I'm here to tell you today. It's not okay. It's simply not okay,” he said. 

Less than a year ago, San Antonio Detective Benjamin Marconi was shot dead right outside police headquarters. Now the department is once again burying another of its own, but with the knowledge they're not mourning alone.

"(it's) very tough. I mean, like I said, we're all brothers and sisters, a big family, a tight knit family. The thin blue line, like they say, it’s real," said Turner. 

This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of the deaths of the five officers in Dallas. Dallas is coming together for a Weekend of Honor, where they also plan to pay tribute to fallen San Antonio officer Benjamin Marconi.

Spectrum News will have complete coverage of Officer Miguel Moreno's funeral starting at 8 a.m. on Friday. Coverage of the memorial in Dallas begins at 5 p.m.