Fair Haven Chief Completes 'Ride for Those Who Died' in 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 — about 1,700 — from all over the U.S. biked 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, kicking off a week-long series of events to commemorate National Police Week 2013.

Among those riding was Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge, who traveled with Chapter 2 riders on the tour. 

"They really had a rough go at it with the heavy rain on Saturday this year," Fair Haven Mayor Ben Lucarelli, an avid cyclist, said. "The chief is a great cyclist. I'll tell you, though, riding in the rain is very difficult. It gets very slick on the roads and the traction is terrible. But, they did it. We're very proud of Darryl and all of those who rode."

"We ride for those who died" is the credo of the tour, which began in 1997 as a measure to get funding in place to create the Officers Memorial.

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, roughly $12 million was raised to memorialize the thousands of officers on the wall.

321 Fallen Law Officers: 'Respect. Honor. Remember.'

National Police Week 2013 full schedule of events.

"This bike ride is a not just a fundraiser," said Red Bank Police Patrolman John Camarca 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."

Chief Breckenridge and 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.