The sound of bicycle tires rolling through Port Hope on Thursday carried a powerful message — remember those who never came home.
The annual Ride to Remember stopped in Port Hope on Thursday, September 24, as 185 police cyclists continued their journey toward Ottawa for the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial.
But the stop was about more than remembering the fallen.
The riders also took time to give back to the community, presenting a bicycle to a deserving young member of the Port Hope community.
For those taking part, the bicycle ride is both a tribute and a reminder of the sacrifices made by police officers and their families.
Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Thomas Carrique said every year brings its own significance, but the central purpose of the ride never changes.
“Well, you know, every year’s got its own special meaning, but the consistent theme is remember our fallen and support their families,” Carrique said.
“Come together as a policing community to make sure that their stories are always told and we always pay tribute to the sacrifice they made and the lives that they lived.”
This year, six names will be added to the memorial — five police officers and one corrections officer.
Three of the fallen police officers are from Ontario, including Provincial Constable Tyrron Bali, Sergeant Brandon Malcolm and Toronto Constable Marc Penazado.
Two others are from Quebec.
For the riders, those aren’t simply names being added to a wall.
They represent lives, families, colleagues and communities forever changed.
And the danger faced by today’s officers was brought sharply into focus by Sunday’s shooting in Belleville.
The Ride to Remember will pass through Belleville on its journey to Ottawa, just days after a Belleville Police officer was seriously wounded in a gun battle with a 29-year-old man outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue during Yom Kippur.
Const. Jeff Smith remains in hospital after the September 20 shooting.
Asked about the timing of the ride and the events in Belleville, Carrique said it highlights the risks officers face every day.
“It sure does,” he said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the heroic Belleville officer that no doubt, no doubt prevented an even greater tragedy that day.”
Carrique said the Belleville officer demonstrated what proactive policing can mean when an officer is confronted with an immediate threat.
“He’s a great example of proactive policing, being in the right place at the right time, being paying attention to what’s important to community, being focused on the risks that are ever present,” Carrique said.
“And his competence and tactical proficiency saved his life and countless others.”
185 RIDERS, ONE PURPOSE
Provincial Constable Adam Belanger, with the Ride to Remember, said approximately 185 cyclists are taking part in this year’s journey.
“Today we have 185 riders on day two of riding from Alymer to Ottawa,” Belanger said.
“We have about 185 cyclists and we’re doing it in remembrance of fallen officers.”
The ride has come a long way since its beginnings in 2000.
Belanger said the first ride involved a small group of members from the Niagara Regional Police.
“Now it’s grown to multiple police services across Ontario,” he said.
The cyclists are making their way toward Ottawa, where they will gather on Parliament Hill Sunday, September 27, for the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial.
The significance of the ride is not lost on those taking part.
Asked whether the journey is emotional, Belanger didn’t hesitate.
“It is,” he said.
“Everybody holds a certain person in their heart — the name that they’re remembering from the wall or from their area — and it is something that we talk about very often.”
REMEMBERING THROUGH ACTION
The Port Hope stop demonstrated another important part of the Ride to Remember — the connection between police and the communities they serve.
The presentation of a bicycle to a deserving young member of the community brought a positive and personal element to an event rooted in loss.
While the riders are travelling to Ottawa to honour officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, they are also travelling through communities where police officers live, work and build relationships every day.
The bicycle handed over in Port Hope was a reminder that the legacy of policing isn’t only about responding when something goes wrong.
It’s also about community.
For the 185 riders, however, the road ultimately leads back to Ottawa and to the names that will be read and remembered.
Six more names will be added to the memorial wall this year.
Six families will have another reminder of the sacrifice made by someone they loved.
And hundreds of police officers will gather to ensure those sacrifices are never forgotten.
As the riders continue east toward Ottawa, their message remains simple.
Remember the fallen. Support their families. Tell their stories.
And keep riding.
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
