The New Westminster Police Department along with Transit Police will be taking to the streets next Friday (June 7) to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics in this year's Law Enforcement Torch Run.
The Torch Run began back in 1981 when a Wichita, Kansas, police chief decided to create an event that would increase public awareness for Special Olympics and help foster relationships between law enforcement and Special Olympians. Canada soon picked up the idea and in 1987 Toronto held the first Canadian Law Enforcement Torch Run.
New Westminster has participated in the run for a number of years and this year another group of officers will be doing the run on June 7, according to a press release.
The run begins at 10 a.m. at the Justice Institute of B.C. at 715 McBride Ave. and from there runners will continue west on Eighth Avenue turning at Sixth Street to City Hall for a brief ceremony. Then the officers are back on the street, running south to Columbia Street where they'll head east, finishing at the Transit Police headquarters at 307 Columbia St.
Anyone interested in donating can visit www.specialolympics.ca/be-involved/join-the-torch-run/.
