Over 500 Monmouth County Police Officers Ride In Police Unity Tour

BELMAR, NJ — More than 500 police officers from throughout Monmouth County took part in the Police Unity Tour, which took off from Belmar Tuesday morning.

The officers and other members of law enforcement got on their bicycles and took off from Belmar. They will ride their bikes to Washington, D.C.

The four days of cycling will end at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, with stops along the way, including one in Atlantic City, to honor and remember fallen police officers.

“We ride for those who died. We honor their memory for the ultimate sacrifice they made,” said Patrol Officer Kevin Licknack, Eatontown Police Department.

This May, the ride is especially poignant as South Jersey Police Officer Robert "Bobby" Shisler just died this past weekend, after he was shot March 10 during an on-duty altercation with a civilian. The civilian also died.

Shisler had been fighting for his life for the past two months — and the close-knit Deptford community rallied around him as he fought to recover — but he succumbed to his fatal gunshot wounds on May 7. Shisler will be buried in a large police funeral May 17 at Rowan University’s Pfleeger Concert Hall in Glassboro, an 800-seat venue.

“Our men and women in blue ride in honor of all the fallen officers, but this year especially for Deptford Police Officer Bobby Shisler," said Benjamin Lucarelli, president of the 200 Club of Monmouth County. "He will always be remembered for his sacrifice and service."

This is the thirteenth year Belmar Police Sgt. Phil Bohrman has done the ride and he describes what it’s like to pedal into the nation’s capital:

“Overwhelming. By far the biggest thing in law enforcement. Gives me goosebumps, I’m getting goosebumps right now just talking about it. You remember why you do what you do. It’s the most humbling thing that I’ve ever done in my law enforcement career. Every police officer should take part in the Police Unity Tour at least once.”

“It feels surreal. It’s my fifth year doing it and every year it still feels like that, the same feeling. It’s humbling, rewarding and exciting,” said Sgt. Dan Ceparano, with Team Monmouth County Sheriffs.

Ceparano explained that each person on his team chose an officer who passed away and will meet his or her family in Washington D.C. He’s riding for Andrew Peery of the El Paso (Colorado) Sheriff’s Office who was killed last year when responding to a shooting.