Members of various police services in Saskatchewan took part in this year’s “Ride to Remember,” an annual bike ride in memory of those lost in the line of duty.
This year’s iteration of the commemorative event began at the headquarters of the Saskatoon Police Service on Sept. 22.
The journey was made by bicycle with stops in Humboldt, Mantiou Lake, Moose Jaw and finally Regina on Sept. 25.
For Sgt. Maria Rupcich of the Regina Police Service (RPS), the event holds a strong meaning for all those in uniform.
“It’s very important that we remember our officers who have lost their lives, to some tragic circumstances in the line of duty,” Rupcich said.
“As well we ride for the ones who have lost their struggle with mental health, and those who continue to struggle with mental health.”
The ride consisted of 447 kilometers according to the Ride to Remember website.
Once the cyclists reached Regina, “The Parade of Officers” started at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
The parade then travelled down Albert Street to the Saskatchewan Legislative Building where a wreath laying ceremony took place at 11 a.m.
One of those wreaths was dedicated to Constable Shelby Patton, who was killed on duty on June 12, 2021 in Wolseley, Sask. while conducting a traffic stop.
“You know it was a great honour to have his widow [Patton’s] here,” Casey Ward, president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers, told CTV News.
“But when you look at the program, I always like to see 10-20 years in-between those names.”
The event both commemorated those in uniform lost in the line of duty, and offered a venue of support for those affected by the high demands of policing.
“The pandemic took a toll on everyone and especially our first responders that continually had to go to work every day,” Ward said.
“So, for us to be able to show up and gather together and support each other and support our members that paid the ultimate sacrifice is great.”
The event was not solely made up of uniformed officers. Members of the public were present as well. According to Sgt. Rupcich, the displays of support from the public were gratefully received.
“People honking or we have non-police officers riding with us, and the appreciation sometimes we forget that the public has for us is phenomenal and an incredible reminder that it is out there for us,” she said.
The federal government established the last Sunday of September as the Canadian Police and Peace Officer Memorial Day in 1998. The day was later established in Saskatchewan in 2003.
The Ride to Remember movement began in Ontario’s Niagara region in 2000, when a group of police officers began a bike ride to Ottawa in order to commemorate their fallen comrades.
The ride only takes place in Saskatchewan and Ontario according to the event’s official website.
2022 marks the seventh running of the Saskatchewan Police Memorial Ride to Remember.
Post a Comment