Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 4026 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: SEPTEMBER 2016 by Jaclyn Barrientes A fter trekking hun- dreds of miles on their bikes this past May, the Po- lice Unity Tour rode into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Wash- ington, DC for the 20th year in a row, a long-honored tradition and what many consider the unofficial start of National Police Week. With great fanfare and jubilation, approximately 2,000 participants reaffirmed their dedication, as many have for the past 19 years, by riding hundreds of miles honoring officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice and fundraising to support the Memorial Fund. This year, the Police Unity Tour donation totaled $2.3 million, through the out- standing efforts of these men and women raising money for a worthy cause. Year after year, they ride for those who died. The Police Unity Tour started as a simple idea in 1997, when Florham Park (NJ) Police Officer Pat Mon- tuore organized a four-day bike ride from New Jersey to Washington, DC. The purpose of the ride was to raise awareness of law enforcement deaths, the of- ficers who had given their lives in the line of duty. It was an idea to ensure that their sacrifices would never be forgotten. The first journey included 18 riders who raised a to- tal of $18,000 for the Me- morial Fund. It has since grown larger than Montuore could’ve ever imaged. “There are 20,789 names on the Memorial’s walls and that number grows each year,” said Montuore, now retired Chief of the Florham Park (NJ) Police Department and Senior Director of Law Enforcement Relations for the Memorial Fund. Addressing the crowd of thousands of participants, friends and family assembled to celebrate their arrival, Pat Montuore continued, “We do this because we care. It’s a matter of honor, a matter of grace and it’s because we want to make a difference.” Over the last 20 years, par- ticipation has increased, and nine chapters have formed throughout the country, representing 40 states and several countries. The journey is long and challenging. But for the Police Unity Tour mem- bers, it is what they strive for throughout the year. Through fundraising and physical training, they know that their efforts raise aware- ness of the ultimate sacrifice made by so many law en- forcement officers. Along with their donation, which has now reached $20 million to date, each rider also presents remembrance bracelets worn during the ride to the families of the fallen officers. The bracelets represent the core of the Police Unity Tour mission — riding for those who died and honor- ing the memory of the men and women who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice. The Police Unity Tour benefits the Memorial Fund in many ways, including sponsoring the Officer of the Month Award program. Each month since 1996, an Police Unity Tour: 20 Years of honoring This year, the Police Unity Tour donation totaled $2.3 million Continued on next page Officer Michael Keane, with the Lyndhurst (NJ) P.D., rode in this year’s Unity Tour. Officer Keane took Amtrak 188 back to New Jersey and as the train passed Philadelphia, it derailed, resulting in eight deaths and hundreds of injuries. Officer Ke- ane immediately took action and helped survivors climb out of the wreckage. Passengers said he saved many lives. October 9-13, 2016 Cost of seminar $ 250.00 Areas of Concentration / Certification Patrol - Narcotics - Explosive Detection-Search and Rescue Person Borne Explosive Device along with Firearms Detection Hosting Agency: Sevierville County Sheriff's Dept. Contact: Master Trainer Darrell Sexton IPWDA Accreditation Chairman (865) 548-8493 | dexton@ipwda.org