On Monday, Governor Mike Pence and his wife Karen led the first leg of the annual Cops Cycling for Survivors charitable bicycle ride as it left from the state’s police and fire memorial in Indianapolis. The ride is meant to honor fallen police officers and also serves as a fundraiser for numerous worthy causes. Today the cyclists will make their way through La Porte County, just one of the many stops on their 1,000 mile trek across the state.
One of the charitable foundations that benefits from this ride is the Neil Thompson Scholarship. It was created in honor of Patrolman Thompson who is the only La Porte County Police Officer to ever be killed in the line of duty. Michael Kellems, the administrative captain and public information officer of the La Porte County Sheriff’s Department is serving his third year on the ride as a member of the support team.
The riders are scheduled for a 9 a.m. Eastern in the New Carlisle cemetery. Riders will pay tribute to Patrolman Thompson’s grave-site before heading to La Porte for lunch. The lunch, sponsored by the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, is at the Scipio Township Fire Station. During the lunch the riders will have a chance to visit with family members of fallen police officers.
