By Brian M. Boyce
TERRE HAUTE — Law enforcement personnel from across the state will ride out of Terre Haute at 7 a.m. today, cycling their way across Indiana in support of fallen officers.
“This is the largest group of riders we’ve ever had in the six years we’ve done this,” Indiana State Trooper Rich Crawford said in front of Indiana State University’s Hines Hall on Saturday afternoon. Forty-four registered riders are participating in this year’s event, with an average of 18 per day over the 13-day, 1,000-mile ride. “This thing keeps growing and growing.”
Beginning July 20 at the Police Officers and Firefighters Memorial in Indianapolis, participants in the Indiana COPS Annual Bike Ride will lace the Hoosier state, stopping in towns where families of fallen law enforcement personnel live, completing their journey Aug. 1 at the Heroes Section of Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Indiana COPS (Indiana Concerns of Police Survivors) raises money for the families of fallen police officers.
Riders left Vincennes at 7 a.m. Saturday, stopping in Oaktown later that morning as thunderstorms rolled, before coming into Terre Haute after 3 p.m.
“[Sunday] will be our biggest day as far as mileage goes,” Crawford said of the 100-mile trek beginning at 7 a.m. today.
Cyclists will ride north into Vermillion County, up to Indiana 63 south of Interstate 74, where ISP Lt. Gary Dudley and Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Gary Martin were struck and killed in August 2006 while participating in that year’s COPS Ride.
The group will eat at the Beef House that evening before settling in at Kentland, Crawford said.
“There’s about five or six of us here that have been riding since 2003,” he said, noting that several were with Dudley and Martin at the time of the accident.
While in Terre Haute, the local Fraternal Order of Police took them to dinner at Applebee’s.
Crawford said he’s riding a 1985 Felt. “It’s an older bike, but the wheels still go round and round,” he joked, noting that bicycles in the event range in price between $1,000 and $4,000.
This year, the group opened participation to the friends and family of fallen officers, immensely increasing participation, he said, explaining the group can afford to sponsor about 25 riders per day. He’s now working on 2010’s list.
“It takes about six months to put this ride together,” he said.
Brian Boyce can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
