Mantua police officers arrived in Washington D.C., as part of the 2024 tour. The event honors men and women who have fallen in the line of duty.
The Mantua police department has announced that six of its officers will join the state’s Police Unity Tour, a four-day, 300-mile bike ride in May that begins in South Jersey and ends at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum in Washington D.C.
The tour will take place from from May 9 to 12, and – as it does every year – will be dedicated to men and women who have fallen in the line of duty, to honor their sacrifice in the name of public safety. The six township officers who will ride are Drew Hayes, Brian Hauss, Jeff Krieger, Alex Stewart, Greg Sweeney and Andrew Glaser.
“The Police Unity Tour Incorporated was formed in 1997 by a group of law-enforcement officers from New Jersey who rode their bicycles from Florham Park, New Jersey, to the memorial in Washington, D.C.,” the department noted on Facebook, “with the purpose of raising awareness of those … officers who have died in the line of duty and also provide financial support for the … memorial and museum.”
The first ride in 1997 had 18 participants, according to the Police Unity Tour website. It has since grown to include eight chapters and more than 2,300 riders nationwide whose motto is, “We Ride for Those Who Died”.
“This is a great way to honor fallen police officers …” said Hauss, who added that a candlelight vigil for the fallen officers takes place the day after the ride ends, May 13.
The Police Unity Tour is a nonprofit that accepts donations on behalf of the the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Money raised helps in the operation of the memorial’s visitors center and museum, research into historic and recent deaths of officers killed in the line of duty, ceremonies and other events at the memorial, the prevention of police fatalities, promoting the memorial as a major tourist attraction, recognizing the anniversaries of all line-of-duty deaths and maintaining the memorial itself.
Anyone who wishes to donate to the tour can drop off funds any time at the township police department.
“We have support from Police Chief (Darren) White in our endeavor,” Hauss said, “as well as the members of the Mantua Township Committee.”
