Members of the Illinois Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) biked 62 miles through McHenry County on Sunday in honor of police officers killed in the line-of-duty.
Illinois C.O.P.S., which is a non-profit organization that provides resources to families of law enforcement officers killed in the line-of-duty, holds an annual Cycle Across Illinois event.
The four-day, 400-mile event to honor those law enforcement officers is held every July. This year’s ride looked a little different due to the pandemic.
“Each individual or “team” was invited to participate in a Virtual Ride, meaning riders would choose their own dates and distances to ride,” McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Sandra Rogers said.
Members of Team McHenry County cycled 62 miles through McHenry County on Sunday.
During their ride, they honored McHenry County Deputy Jacob Keltner, Fulton County Deputy Troy Chisum, Illinois State Police Troopers Nicholas Hopkins, Gerald Ellis, Brook Jones-Story, and Christopher Lambert, who were all killed in the line of duty in 2019.
The riders also honored other officers who were killed in the line-of-duty in McHenry County.
Those include McHenry County Deputy Dwight Maness, Algonquin Police Officer Larry Holder, Johnsburg Police Sergeant William Gruenes, Illinois Department of Conservation Deputy Game Warden G. Earle Eldredge, and his brother, Illinois Department of Conservation Inspector Charles Eldredge.
There were 18 cyclists in the ride who were supported by members from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, the McHenry County Conservation Police and the Crystal Lake Park District Police.
The riders and support team included surviving family members and co-workers of Deputy Jake Keltner, Rogers said.
The bicyclists stopped at Veteran’s Acres, the Algonquin Police Department, Johnsburg Police Department, and Wonder Lake Police Department before finishing at the sheriff’s office.