Police Foundations Students Participate in the annual National Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial Run
Posted on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
The National Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial Run, is a 460km relay run from Toronto to Ottawa. The run is in it’s 4th year and it is a way for police, peace officers and their families to honor fallen officers. A group of Police Foundations students and faculty participated in this years final 7 km leg of the run at Brewer Park on Saturday, September 24, 2011.
Police Foundations student, Justin Smit, shares his experience ?particip?ating in this year’s annual National Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial Run.
Police officers put their lives on the line everyday to keep us, our families and our communities safe. They put themselves directly into situations most of us would run away from, and see things on a daily basis most people would rather not think about. Some officers give their lives upholding the law and it is only appropriate that we honour these police officers and pay them the respect they rightfully deserve.
This is exactly what the National Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial Run, a 460km relay run from Toronto to Ottawa, is all about. In its 4th year, the memorial run is a way for peace officers and their families to pay tribute to the officers who have given their lives fulfilling the duty of serving their communities. I, along with some of my fellow Police Foundations students, was lucky enough to participate in this emotional memorial run.
We all gathered at Brewer Park on Saturday, September 24 to participate in the final 7km leg of the run. Shortly after arriving, swarms of officers from all over the province began showing up. Some were on motorcycle, ready to assist with traffic control, while others showed up onbuses ready to run the final kilometers to Parliament Hill. As we all made our way onto Bronson Ave to start the run, I was overwhelmed by a feeling of pride and honour to be surrounded by hundreds of police officers from all around. It was an amazing feeling to know that I would be running with many of the bravest people in our society, and that we would all be paying tribute to the men and women that have lost their lives. It was a bit of an uneven pace at first, as hundreds of people tried to find their running space. Soon enough though, we all fell into a steady running speed, backed by the momentum of the memories of our fallen officers.
As we made our way up Bronson Ave and onto Colonel By Drive, I couldn’t help but notice Ottawa Police Chief Vern White and O.P.P. Commissioner Chris Lewis running alongside. It was inspiring to see such high ranking officers running side by side with their fellow comrades, talking to and encouraging everyone along the way. As we progressed down Colonel By, people starting gathering on the side of the road cheering us all on and thanking the officers for their sacrifices.
Eventually, we found ourselves in front of the Ottawa Police headquarters on Elgin Street. We all stopped here as even more joined us in our final push to Parliament Hill. I could feel the energy building up all around me. We had all been running for about half an hour at this point and occasionally the massive crowd of runners would break out into a chant or slow clap. As I looked around I noticed even more people had stopped on the sidewalk to cheer us on. I looked up towards the countless apartment buildings in downtown Ottawa and noticed that residents had flocked to their balconies to see what all the commotion was about. Many were shouting words of encouragement and appreciation 15 stories above us. After a short break we were on our way once again for the final push. The final few kilometers down Elgin Street were a truly amazing experience. Hundreds of on lookers that were walking by or eating lunch on restaurant patios began to clap for us, and take time out of what they were doing to notice us and to show their appreciation. It was at this moment that I truly realized how much of an honour it was to be running alongside so many heroes. The knowledge that many of these heroes were not just with us in person, but were running alongside us in spirit, was truly incredible.
Finally, the runners made their way onto Wellington St. and up onto Parliament Hill. For a select few, this was a culmination of a 460km run that began in Toronto. I cannot even begin to imagine how it must have felt for the few that chose to run the full 460km when they first caught glimpse of the Parliament buildings. As we were making our way up the Hill and towards the National Peace Officer’s Memorial site, the energy level within the crowd of runners was absolutely breathtaking. Once again the entire group broke out into chants and synchronized clapping as we neared the finish line. I observed many shaking hands and people congratulating each other on their accomplishment. At the end of the run we were all very tired, but at the same time we all felt great about what we had just accomplished for those who had given the ultimate sacrifice.
The run concluded with much needed water and other refreshments we were all thankful to have. Several people addressed the crowd including Vern White and Chris Lewis who thanked everyone for coming out and showing their appreciation. The speaker that had the biggest impact on me was Erin Ochakovsky, a widow of Peel Regional Police Constable James Ochakovsky who died in the line of duty in March 2010. Erin gave a heartfelt speech with her young child at her side thanking everyone for coming out and for remembering the officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.
The memorial run was a truly inspiring experience for me and all who participated. It is so important that we honour the people who keep us safe and protect our communities. Next time you see a police officer, don’t be afraid to thank them for all the sacrifices they have made, and for the danger they put themselves in front of every day to protect you and I. “They are our heroes, we shall not forget them!”
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