Red Bank, Shrewsbury Officers 'Ride for Those Who Died' on Police Unity Tour

They call it the Police Unity Tour. It's an annual law enforcement event inspired by unity in remembrance of nearly 20,000 officers who died in the line of duty.

Police officers from all over the U.S. bike to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., each sponsoring the memory of a fallen officer. They arrived at their destination on Sunday.

Among those riding were Red Bank and Shrewsbury officers who started their ride May 9 from East Hanover, NJ among roughly 700 riders, Red Bank Police Patrolman John Camarca told Patch after arriving in D.C..

On the first day, the 700 who left from East Hanover rode to 60 miles to Wilmington, DE, Camarca said. On the fourth day they arrived in D.C..

"It was raining hard, and it was difficult to see," Camarca said of the ride. "Steep hills, strong winds, rain, sore legs, challenged us along the way. But in the end we made it. Why you ask? Because we promised to never forget those names that made the ultimate sacrifice — the ones that selflessly gave their lives to protect the lives of others — the fallen heroes that went to work one day and never made it home."

And this year, there were 321 of those heroes added to the two 304-foot marble memorial walls at the memorial etched with the names of more than 19,000 lost. The impetus for the ride — for which each cycling officer gathers sponsors and rides in the name of one fallen — in its 1997 inception was to raise money to build the memorial.

As of this year, about $12 million has been raised through the Unity Tour, said Camarca, who rode for Officer Bradley Fox of Plymouth Township Police Department in Pennsylvania, who was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 13, 2012.

"Officer Fox was shot and killed while involved in a foot pursuit," Camarca said. "The suspect emerged from an ambush position and opened fire, killing Officer Fox and wounding K9 Nick. Officer Fox was a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran and had served with the Plymouth Township Police Department for seven years. He is survived by his expectant wife and young daughter. Officer Fox was killed the day before his 35th birthday."

And there are thousands of others like him remembered and honored on the wall.

321 Fallen Law Officers: 'Respect. Honor. Remember.' National Police Week 2013 full schedule of events.

In 2012, Camarca said, $1.65 million was collected from the ride sponsorship proceeds. 

But, "this bike ride is a not just a fundraiser," Camarca said in an emailed message. "It is an event that raises awareness for the police officers who have died in the line of duty — the ones that selflessly gave their lives to protect the lives of others- the fallen heroes that went to work one day and never made it home. And we do it all for them! 'We ride for those who died,' as the officers' credo goes."

Patrolman Camarca sent Patch some photos of his and fellow officers' journey. Take a look at the gallery above and the attached video from a D.C. Patch site.