Approximately 1,000 police officers bicycled into the nation's capital on Saturday afternoon, after having traveled hundreds of miles to Ride for Those Who Died in the 11th annual Police Unity Tour. The Tour, which has chapters in various parts of the country, makes the annual journey to Washington, DC, to honor and remember the almost 18,000 law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty and to raise funds for a new National Law Enforcement Museum.

About 400 officers, representing the northern New Jersey, New York, northern California, northern Virginia and Nevada chapters, biked 320 miles over four days from the Morris Township (NJ) Police Department. The group stopped for a brief ceremony at the Watchung (NJ) Police Department to remember Officer Matthew J. Melchionda, who died in a traffic crash in March 2006. Another 400 officers, representing Virginia, southern California and Florida, and one officer from Australia, cycled 240 miles over three days from the Portsmouth, VA. An additional group of 170 officers traveled about 250 miles from Hamilton Township, NJ.

Members of all three groups assembled at the Pentagon mid-day on Saturday, before making their final ride to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, where the NLEOMF Chairman and CEO Craig W. Floyd led a welcoming ceremony. Police Unity Tour chapters together presented the NLEOMF with this year's total donation of just over $1 million. That brings the Tour's 11-year contribution to $4.3 million.


The Police Unity Tour was first organized in 1997 by Officer Patrick Montuore of the Florham Park (NJ) Police Department. In May 1997, 18 riders biked four days to raise $18,000. Over the years, the effort has grown to include several chapters and hundreds of members and supporters. In 2005, the Police Unity Tour pledged $5 million toward building the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C., making it the largest contributor to date to the $80 million capital campaign. The Police Unity Tour is the supporter of the Museum's Hall of Remembrance, where the stories of America's fallen law enforcement heroes will be told.