Woonsocket sends off officers to DC

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — 11 Woonsocket cops set off on foot today toward Washington D.C. in honor of their annual Copswalk.

The journey, which will be 400 miles, is honor of their fellow colleagues who died in the last year.

According to officials, 118 officers have passed away in the line of duty in the last year.

“You think about it every day you put the uniform on. I know some people who say, hey, listen all I want to do is go home. But you always keep in the back of your mind…those are the families that haven’t had that opportunity to have your loved ones come home,” said Lieutenant Mike Martinsen. ‘And this is what you’re actually doing so people that haven’t had the opportunity to be able to go home, their families we get to support them in many ways.”

“It’s a great feeling that, in the end of this, that’s what we’re supporting,” he said.

According to Martinsen, the 400 miles is sort of a relay race.

“So, it’s a relay-type run all the way down. So three officers go out. They run their 12 miles, they meet a group of the other officers, and then they continue on, leapfrogging all the way down to Washington DC.”

While officers are gone, volunteers step in to help out back at home.

“We’ll backfill the officers. We have a lot of volunteers that do this because they know it’s important for them to step up while police officers are away. And we work together as a team, and we’ll get it done,” said Chief Thomas Oates. “We just want our officers to have an enjoyable run down there, a safe run, and get back home safe.”

The walk started in 2001, and has since raised half a million dollars.

You can still donate to the walk by visiting the link here.