The Bordentown Township Police Department is determined to support and honor those who have fallen in the line of duty this spring.
Officers from the Bordentown Township Police Department came together at the Bordentown Rt. 130 Chickie’s & Pete’s location on Feb. 5 for a Police Unity Tour fundraiser.
The Unity Tour is a four-day fundraising bicycle ride from New Jersey to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. The primary purpose of the bike tour is to raise awareness of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty and raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial.
Bordentown Township officers Adam Edwards, Keith Alexander, Peter Appelmann, and sergeants Chris Burns and Anthony Biddle will take place in the bike tour to D.C. on May 9
As part of the Chickie’s & Pete’s fundraiser event, officials said that 10% of the restaurant’s proceeds from that evening are planned to be donated towards the officer’s Unity Tour application fees, so that they can participate in the event.
The Unity Tour was founded in May 1997, organized by Officer Patrick P. Montuore of the Florham Park Police Department with the hope of bringing public awareness of police officers who have died in the line of duty and to honor their sacrifices.
The event started with 18 riders on a four-day fundraising bicycle ride from Florham Park to the D.C. monument and has grown into nine chapters consisting of approximately 2,500 members nationwide who make the trip annually.
For the township law enforcement officials, the bike tour serves as an opportunity to honor their colleagues on a national scale.
“We wanted to step up and be a part of this nonprofit organization to support all the families of officers that died in the line of duty,” Alexander said. “It means a lot to us. It’s something that’s close to our hearts, and we want to be there for those families.
“It brings the department closer to the community as a whole,” Alexander said.
In addition to the funds raised for the tour, Alexander explained that the officers are riding more than 300 miles to D.C not only to honor fallen officers, but to honor their relatives as well.
“It helps the families remember, so they can go to the memorial in remembrance of their fallen loved one,” he said.
In addition to the ride, Edwards said that participation in events like this where local officials can reach out to the community for support also serves an important purpose.
“Community relations are huge for us. It’s a big focus for our department,” Edwards said. “Any chance we get to interact with our community and to have our community provide and support us is big.”
Burns also added that township police chief Brian Pesce has encouraged positive outreach efforts for the department during his tenure. Some of these outreach events include “Coffee with a Cop,” a community workout program for officers and residents, and raising funds for citizens diagnosed with severe illnesses during “No-Shave November.”
“[Pesce] really encourages us to go out into the community and be a part of it,” Burns said. “With his support, it makes things easier for us.”
As Edwards prepares to take the long journey down to the nation’s capital this May, he explained that he is anticipating the comradery among law enforcement officials during the ride.
“The unity and being with all the other officers is huge. I’m definitely looking forward to that,” Edwards said.
For Alexander, the unity tour event also provides a chance to reflect and acknowledge the overall mission of the ride.
“We are all riding in memory of somebody that lost their life in the line of duty and for their families,” Alexander said. “Just being a part of that unity is going to be a great experience – to ride and come together.”