As we approach our 2017 ride in the Police Unity Tour, and our training is in full swing, I want to let you know the most important reason we are riding: the fallen officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty in 2016. Every year each rider in the Police Unity Tour rides for a fallen officer from the previous year. They wear a blue metal bracelet that has the name of that fallen officer etched on it with the End of Watch date and department they were from. Once in Washington DC, that rider will find that fallen officer's family and present the widow, widower or family member that bracelet to let them know that we rode the 300 mile in Honor of their loved one.
And as important it is to present that bracelet to the officer's family, it is also important for the rider who is wearing it. As the days get long during the ride, and the miles drag on, I know from my experience that I look down often at the bracelet and "talk" to the fallen officer to let him or her know that "I can do this". And the reason I use this to push myself to keep going when I am in pain is that the fallen officer and his or her family has been through far worse then I am experiencing pedaling on that bicycle. So I keep on pedaling, not only to just get to our hotel for the night, but to finish this ride in honor of "my" officer.
So this year our team is humbled to be riding for several officers.
The one that many of you know about that are reading this post is Officer Jake Gutierrez from the Tacoma Police Department. Jake died in the line of duty on the evening of November 30th, 2016 while attending to a domestic disturbance call at a home. When Officer Gutierrez entered the home with his partner, a male subject opened fire on them, hitting Jake. His partner was able to withdraw from the home, and the subject remain barricaded in the home. Other officers were able to make a tactical entry and pull Officer Gutierrez from the home, but he succumbed to his injuries once he arrived at the local hospital. The subject remain barricaded until SWAT was able to get a clear shot and take him out.
The second Officer we are riding in honor of this year is Sergeant Jason Goodding from Seaside,Oregon Police Department. Jason died in the line of duty on February 5th, 2016 while attempting to serve a warrant on a subject he recognized walking on the sidewalk. The suspect resisted arrest even though he had been tased and was able to get a shot off at Sergeant Goodding, killing him. Another officer on scene was able to return fire and kill the suspect.
The third Officer we are riding for this year is Corrections Officer Mari Johnson from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. On July 16th, 2016 Officer Johnson was attacked by a male inmate
who had left the kitchen area of the prison and over took the officer. Officer Johnson was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Officer Johnson had served with TDCJ for seven years.
Another Law Enforcement Officer that we are riding for this year will not be added to the Wall in DC until next year. And the reason for that is Chief Randy Gibson from the Kalama Police Department passed away just a few short months ago in 2017. Though his name will be added to the memorial next year, we wanted to honor him by wearing a bracelet for him on this years ride. Chief Gibson passed on January 10th, 2017 after dealing with a high-stress arrest and went into respiratory distress. Chief Gibson went to a local hospital but was later discharged at his own request, but passed later that night. Chief Gibson served 20 years with the Greene County Sheriff's Office, Missouri before spending six years as Chief of the Kalama Police Department.
With just a week until we start our ride, imagining the starting line is now become more clear. It has
So here we go, five members of the Pierce County Sheriff's department, one member from the Tacoma Police department, one member from the Monroe Police department and one support member who is from Deputy Kent Mundell's family all riding in and supporting this great event.
