COVINGTON, Ky. (Angela Ingram) - "We Ride For Those Who Died" is the motto of more than 1,500 officers across the country. They are training for the Police Unity Tour which takes place in May.
In Cincinnati on a rainy Wednesday, March 9, a small group met to train and practice for the big event. The police officers are from several different departments including Springdale, Covington, and Cincinnati, but they are bonded by a common goal.
Sergeant Bryan Bogard with Covington Police Department said, "Each year between May 9th and May 12th, officers from around the country get together from different chapters. We ride on bicycles anywhere from 260-300 miles."
More than 1,500 officers from all over the country will cycle to Washington D.C. and roughly 300-400 will travel along to support the cyclists. Each rider wears a bracelet with the name of a fallen officer, inspiration along the way.
"This is to honor police officers that were killed in the line of duty. Each officer rides for an officer killed in the line of duty the previous year or years in the past," Bogard said, "When you're riding, sometimes it gets hard. You're tired. It's at the end of the day. You look down at that bracelet and you remember that officer and you remember that officer's family. You remember why you're out there."
The tour raises money for the Police Memorial Fund which helps families of fallen officers. While Bogard has ridden several times, this is the first year for Cincinnati K9 officer and army veteran, Colleen Deegan.
"I've always wanted to do it, but I've never had the time. I was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. So I'm finally out of the military and decided I wanted to do it and it's special because we have Sonny Kim going on the wall," Deegan said.
Officer Kim was ambushed, shot, and killed in 2015 in Madisonville. The riders from Cincinnati Police Department are all making the trip in his honor.
Deegan said, "It rips out your heart because you know the families. They're like your family and it stays with you forever just like the names on the wall."
It'll be a long, hot journey in May, but one the group and hundreds of others will gladly make.
Bogard said, "It's a true honor to ride for my brothers and sisters who have paid the ultimate sacrifice."
Deegan added, "And I'm hoping with this story and what's going on that we can put a positive note on being a police officer and what we really do each day and how much or family means to us."
Each officer has to raise $1,800 to participate in the ride. This year, the entire group has a goal of raising $2 million.
There is a fundraiser Saturday night, Mach 12, at Covington Lodge #1 located at 516 East 18th Street. It starts at 8 p.m. Crescent Springs Fire Department is putting out a boot to collect donations at its fish fry. The fish fry is Friday, March 11, 4 p.m.- 8 p.m. The firehouse is located at 777 Overlook Drive, Crescent Springs, KY 41017.
16 мар 2016
