Matt Gunnell's Police Unity Tour 2006
For the last 10 years an average of 164 Peace Officers have died in the line of duty every year. In response to tragic numbers like this and to honor the service and sacrifices of all police officers the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) was started. One of the greatest accomplishments of the NLEOMF to date has been the creation of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC. In addition to the Memorial the NLEOMF is involved in many other projects related to preserving and honoring the history of law enforcement in the United States. The largest project right now is raising the $80 million dollars needed to build the National Law Enforcement Museum.
The Police Unity Tour was begun in 1997 as a one time event to raise money for the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial. 18 officers rode bicycles together to raise money and presented $18,000 to the Memorial. The ride was repeated the next year and has grown to the point that in 2005 over 700 officers rode together and raised $750,000 for the Memorial.
2006 will be both the 10 year anniversary of the ride and the 5 year anniversary of 9-11. 2006 will also be the first year I will be participating in the ride. In 2006 the ride begins in New Jersey on May 9th and ends in Washington DC on May 13th. It covers over 300 miles and visits Ground Zero in New York before ending with a memorial service in Washington DC.
As many of you know I'm a Police Officer with the City of Glendale, CA. Though the Police Unity Tour has chapters around the country the Glendale Police Department chose and joined Chapter 37 out of New Jersey when they began sending officers to the ride 3 years ago. They did this out of respect to the 37 officers lost on 9-11 by the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey PD. This was the single greatest number officers lost by any agency that awfull day.
If you agree with the efforts of the Police Unity Tour to support the work of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund please consider sponsoring me on this ride.
The Police Unity Tour was begun in 1997 as a one time event to raise money for the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial. 18 officers rode bicycles together to raise money and presented $18,000 to the Memorial. The ride was repeated the next year and has grown to the point that in 2005 over 700 officers rode together and raised $750,000 for the Memorial.
2006 will be both the 10 year anniversary of the ride and the 5 year anniversary of 9-11. 2006 will also be the first year I will be participating in the ride. In 2006 the ride begins in New Jersey on May 9th and ends in Washington DC on May 13th. It covers over 300 miles and visits Ground Zero in New York before ending with a memorial service in Washington DC.
As many of you know I'm a Police Officer with the City of Glendale, CA. Though the Police Unity Tour has chapters around the country the Glendale Police Department chose and joined Chapter 37 out of New Jersey when they began sending officers to the ride 3 years ago. They did this out of respect to the 37 officers lost on 9-11 by the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey PD. This was the single greatest number officers lost by any agency that awfull day.
If you agree with the efforts of the Police Unity Tour to support the work of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund please consider sponsoring me on this ride.