Running to Remember Fallen Officers

Hundreds of police and peace officers recently completed a run to honour fallen officers and support the families of those that have passed.

The National Peace Officers Memorial Run is now in its 14^th year. The founder and chair of the Memorial Run, Staff Superintendent Randy Patrick of Peel Regional Police, is amazed at what it has grown into; “This year, we had 280 runners from 22 different law enforcement agencies. They all have the same goal of raising awareness of the memorial service and to honour our colleagues who have died in the line of duty. From our humble beginning in 2005, this increase in participants is not something I envisioned but one that I am proud to see”, he said.

Covering 460 kilometres over three days, 39 runners from Peel Regional Police were part of a larger group that made their way through numerous towns and cities on their way to the capital. They arrived the day before the memorial service and took time to visit the plaques that name the fallen officers.

For Taryn Hill, Peel Police Community Liaison Officer, the run to Ottawa was a moving experience, “The officers listed on these plaques paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of their communities.  To participate as part of the memorial run and push through the aches and pains, is the least I can do to honour their memory and show their families that they will never be forgotten.” said Hill, “They are our heroes. We shall remember them.”