Thirty law enforcement officers exiting the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s main gate on their bicycles on an 800-mile ride to Washington, D.C., to honor fallen officers and assure their families they are remembered. (FLETC Courtesy Photo).
BRUNSWICK | Thirty law enforcement straddled their road bikes at 7:30 Friday morning at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and set out on an 800-mile ride to Washington, D.C., to honor fallen officers and assure their families they are remembered.
The Law Enforcement United riders will pedal to Chesapeake, Va., where they will join hundreds of other bicyclists May 10 for a three-day, 250-mile into Washington for Police Week. At the same time, other riders will set out the same day from Reading, Pa., on another 250-mile ride.
The retired and active law enforcement officers who left Brunswick Friday on what has become known as the “FLETC Long Ride” pay their own expenses for the additional trip across Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina to Chesapeake. It typically costs an extra $500, organizers said.
The riders will cover 90 to 125 miles each day and are required to participate in memorial stops along the way.
Those who want to participate are warned that the ride has historically had daunting conditions from oppressive heat to strong headwinds and that participants should be in top riding condition.
Only active and retired officers are allowed to ride. Local sheriffs and police departments provide traffic control along the way.
Terry Dickson: (912) 264-0405
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Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
Protocol & Communications Office
Contact: 912-267-2447