Month: May 2010
Running in memoriam
Web update:
Pierce College Sheriffs, cadets, students, families and friends took part in the annual Memorial Run that goes from Friday the 21st through Sunday the 23rd, where 3000 volunteers will run 56 legs starting at the Los Angeles Sheriff Department Headquarters and ending at the Altadena station where they will have a Barbeque.
The sheriffs come out every year to honor their fellow officers who fell in the line of duty, according to Deputy Al Guerrero who is a deputy sheriff at Pierce. He has been on the force for 17 years, four of which were at Pierce.
“My wish is that they were all here and we didn’t even have to do the run,” said Guerrero.
Story:
Sirens howled as a precession of shoes clapped, bikes spun and razor scooters hummed in honor of officers that have fallen in the line of duty.
Marine cadence played out of the lead police vehicle to help motivate the dozen or so runners as they pushed along the five-mile trek along Victory blvd. from Valley Circle to the parking lot off of Mason Ave.
Pierce College Sheriffs, cadets, students, families and friends took part in the annual Memorial Run that went from Friday the 21st through Sunday the 23rd, where 3000 volunteers will run 56 legs starting at the Los Angeles Sheriff Department Headquarters and ending at the Altadena station where they will have a Barbeque.
The sheriffs come out every year to honor their fellow officers who fell in the line of duty, according to Deputy Al Guerrero who is a deputy sheriff at Pierce. He has been on the force for 17 years, four of which were at Pierce.
“My wish is that they were all here and we didn’t even have to do the run,” said Guerrero.
Guerrero expressed his dedication to his fellow officers and explained that he participates every year with the memories of his fallen brethren who according to him are not able to because in most cases, someone intentionally took their life while they were out trying to protect the public.
The volunteers for Pierce’s Sheriff Department started at Valley Circle and ran a route along Victory, finally ending at Pierce College at Mason where Officers from the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic waited. The route was approximately five miles.
“Its great to run this event in honor of our fallen officers and support their families,” said Deputy Vince Grant who is a Sheriff from the Pitchess Detention Center.
Grant has been a Sheriff for 19 years and it is his second year running the event. His group will take the torch from Pierce’s group and they will be running seven miles before passing it on.
“I’ve had some very good friends who were shot in the line of duty and a couple who have passed away from being on duty, so its kind of a way to keep it all in prospective,” said Sergeant Darrin Walker who has been at Pierce for three weeks and has participated in the run for 18 years.
Walker formerly worked at the Twin Towers correctional facility. According to him Pierce is a very nice break.
“Being new to the bureau I’m glad to see that they really get behind all of the activities that are out there for us, its good to see a good showing,” said Walker. “kind of makes you feel like your in the right place.”
First year runner, Paul Romero who is has been a Cadet for nine months at Mission College enjoyed the brotherhood of being included in the Memorial Run. He is graduating with his AA and is beginning his Bachelors degree through the University of Phoenix. He would like to join the Police force after graduating from College.
“Doing all of this uplifts my goal of becoming a deputy,” said Romero.
Sergeant Jerri McCorkle, a Sheriff with the Pitchess Detention Center, has been supporting the run for eight years, explained that a large part of the event is keeping the runners safe.
“It’s a large part of our hi
story and our dedication to our brothers and sisters who have fallen in the line of duty, it’s the least we can do,” said McCorkle.