Road to Hope rides through Williamston

It was a memorable site last week as 100 bicycle-riding law enforcement officers, rode through Martin County and sped down Williamston’s Main Street, making their way to Washington D.C. to honor fallen fellow officers.

Before leaving Martin County, the riders stopped to remember local law enforcement officers lost in the line of duty.

“I want to thank Team Raleigh for coming to our Law Enforcement Memorial every year to remember our fallen officers. I would like to commend their dedication to the training that it takes to ride their bicycles from North Carolina to Washington, D.C.,” said Martin County Sheriff Tim Manning.

Remember the fallen, inspire the standing was the theme of the ride for the Law Enforcement United Team Raleigh.

LEU Team Raleigh is a group of current and retired law enforcement officers and civilian support members from all over North Carolina working together with Law Enforcement United to honor officers that have died in the line of duty while supporting those left behind.

LEU was founded upon honoring officers who have died in the line of duty, and ensuring that their surviving family is supported and not forgotten.

The ride began at the Raleigh Police Memorial in Downtown Raleigh and continued across North Carolina, stopping at different police and sheriff agencies along the way to honor those that died in the line of duty. The ride has become known as the Raleigh Ride.

The ride covers approximately 250 miles of cycling in North Carolina over three days before joining other officers from across the nation in Chesapeake, Virginia.

From Chesapeake, riders joined the LEU Road to Hope ride to Washington, D.C. as part of the National Peace Officers Memorial Week services. Team Raleigh members visited the National Law Enforcement Memorial Wall and participated in the annual candlelight vigil.

The core of the team are members of the Raleigh Police Department, but they also have members from many different agencies. The main mission during the year is to facilitate and staff the Wreath Laying Ceremonies for the eight Raleigh Police Officers that died in the line of duty.

This year’s ride was especially symbolic for the North Carolina riders with the recent death of four Charlotte officers whose memories were top of mind throughout the ride.

This year’s ride arrived in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, May 12 where a memorial ceremony took place.