The 12th COPS Unity Ride took place at the weekend, with officers and staff from Leicestershire Police cycling 180 miles in memory of colleagues who’ve died in the line of duty.
The annual event, is designed to raise money for COPS (Care Of Police Survivors), a charity which provides support to injured officers as well as to the families of loves ones who are left behind following the death of an on-duty serving police family member.
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Staff and serving officers from Leicestershire Police set off from Force Headquarters on Friday (26 July), beginning a three day journey to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. When they arrived on Sunday, they joined officers and staff from police forces across the UK for a special commemoration ceremony.
Over 70 of the 500 cyclists taking part in this year’s ride came from the police’s East Midlands Chapter, including three chief constables from Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Leading the way for Leicestershire Police was Chief Constable Rob Nixon.
“We have the privilege here of riding alongside a number of people who are survivors. They were children at the time they lost their loved ones. But we’re also riding alongside families that have benefitted from the COPS charity. So it’s something that is very dear to our hearts,” he revealed.
“When you lose a colleague or a family member that can have devastating for years to come and what the COPS charity does is it leans in at that really critical time and it provides that support for years to come.”
DCI Helen Fletcher, from Leicestershire Police was a first time rider on this year’s sun-soaked tour.
“I just think it’s really important to recognise those people who have given up their lives serving our communities and the people that we work with,” she told the Leicester Times.
“It’s just massively important to support the charity and the families. It is a challenge, but that’s the whole point of it – to push yourself and do something a little bit different.”
Taking part in her second ride, was Detective Inspector Maria Pleace from Derbyshire Police.
“I love the camaraderie and the unity that’s involved. I love the cause – it’s a challenge, it’s not an easy ride but the sense of achievement when you finish and seeing the families, that’s what it’s all about,” she said.
Explaining his reasons for taking part, Paul Lefford, Detective Sergeant for Nottinghamshire Police said: “This year we lost Graham Saville and the year before that was Ged Walker’s 20th anniversary. So the last two years have been really pertinent for us. It just hits home how important it is to raise some money for COPS and we support the families of those who’ve made that ultimate sacrifice.
“This ride is an opportunity for us to pay our respects really and raise money for the most fantastic cause,” he added.
Jo Cole also took part in this year’s ride in memory of her late husband Simon – the former Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, who passed away following his retirement in 2022.
“I’m a survivor so it’s a really special and emotional thing to do. He did it and now I’m doing it for him,” she revealed. “Everyone has been so supportive. It’s been fantastic and I’ve made friends for life.”
Over £30,000 has been raised so far this year by the East Midlands Chapter and that amount is still increasing. Since its inception in 2003, the COPS Unity Ride has raised over one million pounds nationally and helped support hundreds of police families devastated by the loss of a loved one.
Shell Commons, operations and contingency planner for Leicestershire Police called the weekend’s event “hard to organise but very rewarding.”
“There were a lot of emotions,” she said. “It was also the biggest event to date, with 77 riders coming from the the the East Midlands Chapter – the highest of anywhere else in the UK.”
They were ably supported by the Leicestershire Police Federation.
Echoing her sentiments and summing up the event, Rob Nixon, Leicestershire’s Chief Constable said: “This event is a rollercoaster of emotions because there are times during the ride where people are starting to suffer from fatigue but then they’ll look down at that band and that will give them the motivation to continue.
“You’ve got a real mixed ability – some people that are fairly keen cyclists and then people that have barely got on a bike, but the term unity absolutely sums it up. It’s not a race, it’s about working as a team, looking after one another and just covering the milage in order to complete the task and to raise money for the charity.”
To find out more about COPS and the Police Unity Tour, visit: https://ukpoliceunitytour.org/
