We Ride for Those Who Died
Commentary by Joshua Flore,
June 2, 2011, page 2.....

On May 9, I began my travels with the Police Unity Tour. We kicked off our 300-mile bicycle ride from East Hanover, New Jersey, to the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. This year’s tour had 1,400 riders participate from all over the United States and locations from around the world. There were representatives from Israel, England and India.
Every day is a roller coaster of emotions for the riders as we ride roads on the trek to Washington. Most riders are riding in the memory of an officer who has died in the line of duty. Several of the riders are participating to honor those killed in 2010 from their own departments. Some of the riders are survivors who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. Each rider has a story and a reason to ride (See “We Ride for Those Who Died” Police Unity Tour website policeunitytour.com).
The Police Unity Tour was organized in 1997 by Officer, now Chief, Patrick Montour of the Florham Park, New Jersey, Police Department. In 1997 the Police Unity Tour had 18 riders and raised $18,000 for the National Law Enforcement Memorial. Since then the tour has grown in numbers with a total of 1,400 riders and this year presented a check to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) for $1.5 million.
The money that is raised by the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness of the law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. The money is also used to raise funds for the memorial as well as the museum that is currently being built. In 2009, the Police Unity Tour raised $1.3 million for the NLEOMF with that money going to a $1.1 million restoration project of the memorial. The 18,983 names on the memorial were re-engraved, coated and sealed to protect the names that were on the Memorial Wall.
This year, 2011, saw the addition of 316 names to the walls of the memorial. Of these names, 162 officers had died in the line of duty in 2010. The other names, located by researchers at the National Law Enforcement Memorial Offices, were of officers who had been killed in prior years and had not been reported. This year it was discovered that Officer Cornelius Hogeboom of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, New York, had been killed on October 22, 1791. He is, at this time, believed to be the first officer killed in the line of duty. His name was added to the Roll Call of Fallen Officers and added to the Memorial Wall.
In 2010 there was an increase nationwide of officers killed in the line of duty. After a several-year decline, law enforcement deaths increased to 162, approximately 40% more than in 2009. In 2009, 117 officers were killed. Of the deaths that occurred in 2010 nationwide, 73 were related to traffic accidents, 61 were related to firearms, and the remaining officers were killed by other means, including boat accidents, drowning, aircraft accidents, falling, physical assaults and training incidents. Tragically, the biggest increase was again traffic-related deaths. These deaths include motor vehicle accidents, officers struck by motor vehicles while outside of their cruisers, as well as motorcycle incidents, and a single officer killed while on bicycle patrol. These incidents have been on the increase since the 1960s with the average being 59 traffic-related deaths. The current decade (2000 to 2010) has had an average of 72 deaths due to traffic incidents.
Vermont has been fortunate that we have not lost an officer since 2003, when Vermont State Trooper Michael Johnson and Essex County Deputy Sheriff Ruby Rainault both died in the line of duty. Both Trooper Johnson and Deputy Rainault were added to the memorial in 2004.
This was the sixth year that I have participated in the Police Unity Tour. My first year was in 2004 when Trooper Johnson and Deputy Rainault were added to the memorial. Every year I have been amazed by the support that I have received. This year was no different, and I would like to thank everyone who donated money for this wonderful event: Aaron Noble, Anne and Allen Fortin, Automaster, Bob Light, Charlotte/ Shelburne Rotary, Maureen and Chris Johnson, Chris Mack, Jane and Chris Morrell, Cole Charbonneau, Carol and David Blanshine, Dee PT, Essex Police Association, Esther Habin, James Mack, Janet Curry, James McKnight, Joan Lenes, Linda Luke, Matt Callaghan, Janet and Mike Yantachka, Mike Cousino Plumbing, Norseland, Inc., Peggy Coutu, Peter Frankenburg, Road Dawgs, Ruth Flore, Shelburne Police Association, South Burlington Police Association, Stephanie Tanner, Stephen Brooks, Tania Jofe, Town of Shelburne and the Vermont Police Association.
It should be noted that the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C., is an ongoing project. As long as police officers around the nation are being killed, the memorial will never be finished.
In closing, I am grateful that I have had another opportunity to ride with this wonderful organization and the other officers that I rode with. Without the support from the police community and our local communities, this ride would not occur. It is amazing to see the support from the people along the route to Washington D.C. I can’t say thank you enough. Never Forgotten, Always Remembered.

Officer Joshua Flore, Shelburne Police
Department and Charlotte Town Constable