The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Bike ride honors fallen cops
A team of five area police officers left Thursday as part of a 300-mile bicycle ride challenge in honor of fallen officers.
Four Bridgeport police officers and one Hamden police officer make up the team, a part of the Police Unity Tour’s Southern California Chapter 7.
The officers said they felt excited but nervous about the journey.
The three-day bike ride began in Somerset, N.J., on Thursday with a final destination of the Washington, D.C., National Law Enforcement Memorial. The ride comes at a significant time — during National Police Week, which runs May 13-19.
“We’re riding for fallen officers,” said Bridgeport Officer Sandy Quinonez.
“I don’t think people know the sheer number of officers killed in the line of duty each year,” said team member Angela Vey, a Hamden police officer.
As of May 11, there have been 53 officers killed in the line of duty in 2018 nationally. The D.C. memorial site has 21,541 names on the wall, Quinonez said.
The five officers have trained for the challenge, riding on required lightweight bikes. Bridgeport Officer Ashley Taylor said their shoes lock in to the pedals on their bikes.
“It’s intense,” she said to laughter from her teammates.
Each team member raised nearly $2,000 through donations and sponsors to participate. Funds raised go to support the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum in Washington.
Nervous excitement
The Police Unity Tour began in May 1997 with an officer from a New Jersey police station. That year, there were 18 riders. Now, there are nine chapters with nearly 2,500 members nationwide.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be this challenging,” said Bridgeport Officer Luis Ortiz. “I’m nervous. Excited, but nervous.”
The other officers echoed his statement.
“I think that last day, no matter how tired or sore we’ll be, that feeling we’ll get when we get to the finish line will make it all so worth it,” Vey said. Her teammates agreed.
Quinonez is the team’s captain because she was a part of the tour with Hartford police officers in 2017. Taylor met Quinonez at the finish line in D.C. last year and was amazed by the reaction.
“It was very, very emotional,” Taylor said. “I’m looking forward to being on the other side of that experience.”
Families of officers who have died and supporting friends and families fill the area around the memorial to welcome the bikers to the site, she said.
“It’s a very humbling feeling,” Quinonez said.
The main difference between the challenge and the tour, Quinonez said, is that the challenge is all uphill. The participants will bike with a motorcade of ambulances, mechanics and vans for safety and protection.
Bridgeport Officer Luis Ortiz said once he saw Quinonez’s efforts in 2017, he knew he wanted to get involved the following year.
“I’ve wanted to do this my whole career,” Vey added.
Each of the officers is biking in memory of an officer from their department that was killed in the line of duty. Quinonez said the family of her officer is meeting them at the finish line in Washington this year.
Donations can be made at https://socalput.com/ donations/.