Officers will ride to recognize fallen officers – support is requested

Three members of the Richfield Police Department will ride their bikes for 300 miles this spring to raise awareness of police officers that were killed in the line of duty.

Officers Mazen Awad, Joel Meister and Rudy Prhne will join more than 2,000 other law enforcement officers to ride bikes in the Police Unity Tour from Florham Park, New Jersey, to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.  The funds raised by the tour are contributed to a memorial fund that supports the National Law Enforcement Museum Hall of Remembrance, the Memorial Fund’s Officer of the Month, and other programs. 

The Richfield officers will ride in honor of fallen Euclid Police Officer Jacob Derbin.  Each bike rider is required to raise a minimum of $2,100 to participate. Police Chief Michael Swanson said the Richfield Fraternal Order of Police has a goal of raising $7,000 to pay the fees for the officers to participate in the Police Unity Tour.  

Officer Awad has participated in long-distance bike rides in the past, but this will be the first time for officers Prhne and Meister. They are training individually until the weather breaks, and then will begin training as a group. They will be riding road bikes, not e-bikes, on the tour.To support the Richfield officers in the Police Unity Tour, pay using the QR code, or send a check to Fraternal Order of Police Richfield Lodge #66, 4450 W. Streetsboro Road, Richfield, OH 44286.