Crime & Safety

Burr Ridge Police Department to Participate in C.O.P.S. Ride Tomorrow

Burr Ridge Police will join officers across the state to support families of officers killed in the line of duty.

From July 25 to July 29, the will take part in the Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) Across Illinois Bicycle Ride in support of slain police officers families. The ride, made up of survivors, police officers and friends ranging in age from 17 into their 70’s will start in Alton, Illinois and end at the Police Memorial Wall in Chicago.

With a high of 99-degrees expected tomorrow, this ride of more than 350 miles will be no easy task. Last year road temperatures reached more than 120 degrees.

The Burr Ridge Police Department is participating in honor of Jonathan E. Walsh, a former Burr Ridge Police Officer, who was killed in the line of duty working as a police officer in Joliet.

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The last three years, officers from the BRPD, as well as a couple of the officer’s children, have participated in the ride in various capacitates.

This year will be no different—with one extra twist; Jonathan’s 17-year-old niece Riley Kralik of Cleveland Tennessee will be riding the more than 350 miles.

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“We are very excited to again be participating in this C.O.P.S. event this year. Knowing that Riley is taking part makes it extra special”, said Burr Ridge Police Chief John Madden. “We have made it clear to C.O.P.S. that we will continue to support this organization in any way that we can, and having seen first-hand the effort, dedication, and coordination it takes to coordinate the event, I am proud our agency is supporting C.O.P.S. for the fifth straight year.”

Kralik said she would have had a much tougher time making this ride, had it not been for the generous assistance of Rich Ducar, the owner of “The Bike Shop”, located at 495 North Main Street in Glen Ellyn Illinois. She said Ducar was kind enough to locate a bike for her to use for the ride so she didn’t have to incur the expense of shipping her bike to Illinois. Shipping her bike would have reduced the amount of money she was able to raise for the ride.

Each year more than 140 police officers are killed in the line of duty. There are currently 1020 names of fallen officers on the Illinois Police Memorial Wall.

The money raised from the ride helps not only locally but this year also helped more than 200 surviving children participate in programs during National Police Week in Washington DC in May. The Illinois Chapter of C.O.P.S. was able to donate $25,000 to assist in making this program possible.

Next month, the Burr Ridge Police Department will host the fifth annual Jonathan Walsh Guns vs. Hoses Softball game. This year, the event has been moved from Harvest Fest to the Crusin ’66 Car Show, hosted by the Willowbrook/Burr Ridge Chamber of Commerce, on August 11.

Any person or business wishing to contribute to either event may contact Corporal Michael Barnes at (630)654-8181, extension 5120.

*The above was a media announcement from the Burr Ridge Police Department.

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