Honouring a hero, a Cobourg man carried on a tradition that started in 2005.
Due to COVID-19, the National Peace Officers’ Memorial “Run to Remember” is taking place virtually.
Today, (Thursday, September 24, 2020) would have been the day hundreds of police and peace officers from across Canada would have left Toronto on day one of their three day journey to Ottawa for the National Peace Officers’ Memorial that takes place the last Sunday in September.
The first leg of the journey always stops at Chris Garrett Memorial Park in Cobourg with hundreds of runners touching the memorial in Chris Garrett Memorial Park on Birchwood Trail.
Jenkins was a dispatcher for Cobourg Police along with his father Bob.
Last year Jenkins took part in the event and wanted to continue the tradition.
So he started at 3 p.m. at the Port Hope Police Station along with his 22-year-old daughter, Mackenzie who was riding a bicycle.
“I was looking forward to running this year again, but unfortunately we can’t do it,” Jenkins said just before starting.
“We’re going to do it and keep the tradition alive.”
On the back of Jenkins running shirt were two names – Cobourg Police Constables Chris Garrett and William Rourke. Garrett was murdered in the line of duty on May 15, 2004 and Rourke suffered a heart attack on September 22, 1915.
Jenkins father was coming on shift the morning Garrett was murdered. Had Garrett not shot his killer, Jenkins can only wonder what would have happened to his father that morning.
(Court evidence showed Garrett’s killer had homemade explosives and had planned an attack at the police station)
“Chris Garrett is a hero to me. He saved many, many lives and I just need to honour him today.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
