Annual Philly-to-DC Fallen Officer Run Bypassing Riot-Torn Baltimore This Year
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An annual, three-day run from Philadelphia to Washington, DC, honoring fallen police officers got underway today at the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia.
Usually, the Law Enforcement Memorial Run, a 142-mile trip from Philly to DC, has a stop in Baltimore along the way. Not this year, organizers say. The recent riots there are still fresh on many minds.
One of the organizer, Tim Hoagland, a Delaware River Port Authority police corporal, says that doesn't take away from what they do.
"Officers don't go to work wanting to hurt anyone or anything like that," he said. "But I can tell you when one of us get hurt, we take care of them and their family."
Richard Ross, deputy commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, was echoing those thoughts this morning.
"The symbolism is so important," he said. "Ones like this, more so than any money they raise, it's just about what it speaks to. What the men and women stand for."
And Janet, whose late husband was a Marlton, NJ, officer and is running for the 16th year, wishes more would understand.
"I know there's public support out there for the police. You don't see that as much as you see the people objecting. And that's unfortunate," she said.