The National Peace Officers’ Memorial Run ended the first leg of their three day journey at Chris Garrett Memorial Park in Cobourg.
The 460-kilometre run started in Toronto on Thursday, September 26, 2024 and will end in Ottawa at the National Peace and Police Officers’ Memorial on Parliament hill on Saturday.
The run was established in 2005 when the Peel Regional Police running team, the Pacers, decided to raise awareness of the annual memorial in Ottawa.
The running team wanted to create a way of raising awareness of the annual Service and at the same time pay tribute to those officers who have so valiantly given their lives in the service of their community.
Funds are raised by the runners through the sale of t-shirts, and by collecting donations to be directed towards Trust Funds established in memory of fallen Peace Officers from across the country.
The initial run 2005, had 24 members of the Peel Pacers ran the relay-style run over the next three days and arrived in Ottawa on Saturday. The runners then participated in the Memorial Service the next day on Parliament Hill.
Running through Port Hope, horns honked in support as vehicles passed by.
Police motorcycles blocked intersections for the runners along the way.
As the sun was setting, runners headed east along County Road 2 before being joined by the entire team of runners at the Best Western Inn for the final few kilometres to Chris Garrett Memorial Park on Birchwood Trail.
Garrett was murdered in the line of duty on May 15, 2004. Through Garrett’s actions numerous lives were saved. He was posthumously honoured with the Star of Courage.
The Cobourg Police Pipes and Drums played while the runners arrived at Garrett’s park. The runners passed by photos of fallen officers as the arrived at the memorial called Hero’s Flight which depicts 24 birds in flight and was created by Gerald Gladstone.
The birds are arched in a 14-feet high letter C.
The letter C is for Garrett’s first name and the 24 birds represent the day of his death on May 15, 2004.
The 15th day of the fifth month in the fourth year.
Cobourg Deputy Police Chief Jeff Haskins spoke to the group of officers.
“This is our sanctuary for our fallen officer.”
Haskins said the run has been two-decades of raising awareness of the Peace and Police Officers’ Memorial in Ottawa, “and paying tribute to colleagues who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“Each year when the Run to Remembers visits Cobourg we are deeply, deeply moved by the love and spirit which you bring to Chris Garrett Park.”
“This event also marks the end of a long and emotional day. We remember, honour and celebrate those who’ve died protecting the communities they serve. Our thoughts remain with the family, friends, co-workers and communities effected by the loss of an officer.”
Organizers of the run also presented the family of Travis Gillespie with a cheque to the Travis Gillespie Memorial Hockey Scholarship.
Thirty-eight-year-old Gillespie was born and raised in the Warkworth area and was killed in a head-on crash on his way to work for the York Regional Police in 2022.
While the group of runners posed in front of the memorial for photos, the Cobourg Police Pipes and Drums played Amazing Grace.
After the ceremony, Today’s Northumberland spoke with John “Johnnie” Walker who retired as a Detective from the Peel Regional Police Service eight-years-ago.
Walker along with Peel officer Randy Patrick were part of the Peel Pacers were part of the original founders of the run.
In 2004, Walker remembers marking off 10-kilometre legs for the routes initial run in 2005.
Walker was in the recruit class with Garrett who was also a Peel officer before transferring to Cobourg.
Walker said he remembers the tragedy in Cobourg vividly what happened to his friend and fellow police officer.
“This memorial means the world,” said Walker.
Each year Walker goes up to the memorial he said, “it’s heart-wrenching.”
“The way he was murdered is so sad and he was so young.”
Garrett’s murderer had plans to murder numerous other people that morning, but even though Garrett was mortally wounded, firing off his service weapon, he struck his killer in the leg, thereby thwarting his plans.
Garrett tragically died at the scene a short time later.
The murderers mother picked her son up a short distance away and drove him to the hospital to be treated for his injury where he was arrested by Cobourg Police.
Participants now include the survivors – those family members left behind after the loss of a Peace Officer killed in the line of duty. Their presence provides the inspiration for the core group of runners to complete their journey of remembrance.
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
