About 100 law enforcement officials from a dozen different agencies wore the same uniform Thursday as they ran or walked from Camillus to the eastern end of Syracuse. The 13-mile Torch Run raised $10,000 for New York’s Special Olympics athletes.
State Police Troop D spokesperson Jack Keller says it’s a fun event for a good cause.
"We like to run along with our partners in law enforcement. It's nice to see the 174th take part. Also, the athletes get a kick out of the fact that we run along with them. That's a big part of the pride and the relationship with the community.” Keller says about a dozen members of Troop D made the run, including some higher ranking troopers. About the same number participated from the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Gene Conway has taken part in at least seven Torch Runs.
"This is a symbol of the fact that all of us representing law enforcement are all behind this organization. We want to support it, whether it's the through the Torch Run, Cops on Top, the Polar Plunge, any of those events get full participation, and it's just a pleasure for us to be a part of it."
Officers from Syracuse, DeWitt, Camillus, and others also participated. Development Director for Special Olympics New York Cassandra Rucker shed some tears of joy as the runners departed Camillus. She says the record level of participation means so much to the athletes.
"We have 65,000 athletes in New York State, so bringing awareness that we have so many athletes in New York state to fund and support in their sport."One of those athletes is Ryan Goldacker.
"My event is power lifting, golf. I also do swimming and skiing."Goldacker is a veteran of the Special Olympics...this will be his 23rd year. He’ll join about 1,400 of his fellow athletes at the summer games June 6th at SUNY Brockport.
