Police Unity Tour: Hundreds of cops riding bikes to Washington, D.C., raising money for families of fallen officers
The purpose of the Police Unity Tour is to recognize and never forget the ultimate sacrifices that come with the job as a law enforcement officer.
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Hundreds of police officers are riding bikes from all over New Jersey to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. It's a ride they say they wish they didn't have to make.
The Police Unity Tour, a ride for fallen officers, began in 1997 and has since grown. It has now helped raise millions of dollars for families who lost a loved one in the line of duty.
The purpose of the ride is to recognize and never forget the ultimate sacrifices that come with the job as a law enforcement officer - a fact hitting so close to home today.
"You know every one of us riders, we ride for someone who died every mile every minute counts on the tour itself. So it's really important that we raise the money and remember those people who have fallen," said Al Capriotti, one of the bike riders from the Colts Neck Police Department.
Many of these officers are in the early stages of mourning the loss of Robert Shisler - and remembering those who passed before him. Shisler, 27, was killed in the line of duty after he was shot during a pedestrian stop in March. A procession on Tuesday transferred Shisler's body from the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office to a funeral home in Deptford.
MORE: Community mourns Deptford police officer killed in the line of duty
Before setting off, the bike riders held a moment of silence for Shisler.
By the time the four-day ride concludes in Washington, D.C., there will be close to 3,000 other men and women who joined this group to remember the fallen.
