Royal Oak Holds Run With The Police 5K

ROYAL OAK, MI – Royal Oak cops will swap their tactical boots for running shoes at the 2nd Annual Run with the Police 5K. The event is set for Saturday, June 1 in downtown Royal Oak. New at this year’s event is the addition of a bike rodeo that will take place right after the race.

“Our mission is to continue promoting good relationships between the police and community,” said Chief Corrigan O'Donohue.

The run is a fundraiser that supports the health and wellness of Royal Oak police officers. The races include a 5k walk/run and a Chase the Chief event for kids 12 and under. This year, young runners from the Metro Detroit Youth Clubs and the YMCA’s Girls on the Run program will try to outrun Royal Oak’s finest.

"It’s a lot of fun for both us and the kids - and for all runners for that matter,” said O’Donohue. “It’s important in our community that we can all come together and show we support each other.”

The goal for the newly added bike rodeo is for young riders to learn safety skills for the common hazards they may encounter, and more importantly, to have just have fun.

"We're really excited about our first bike rodeo," said Judy Davids, Royal Oak’s community engagement specialist. "We’ll have lots of information on how bike routes work and what is expected of cyclists when they ride on our streets."

The city introduced the Ride On Royal Oak program (romi.gov/rideon) in 2017 to educate cyclists and motorists on how to safely co-exist on city roads.

"Safety is always first but we also have a lot of fun activities and giveaways planned and our friends from Modern Skate & Surf will show off a bit with an extreme BMX bike show," Davids said. "Personally, I am looking forward to test-riding an electric bike and seeing what kind of new adventure that might open up!"

The city will also be licensing bikes free of charge at this event.

More information about these events can be found at RunwiththePolice5k.com and romi.gov/rideon.