Borough Officers Join Special Olympics Torch Run

Two runners recpresented  in Friday's 28th Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Jersey. 

Officer Kevin Carey and Agent Christopher Rodgers left borough police headquarters just before 2 p.m. on Friday, June 10, to pick up the daylong relay a few towns over. 

The entire event stretches 200 miles total throughout the state, as local law enforcement officials participate in ushering the Special Olympic Torch through their region's leg. 

Of the 19 total race legs, Collingswood officials entered the run during Leg 8 Friday afternoon.

Leg 8 began at 6 a.m. Friday morning, at the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, and ended about an hour after its scheduled 2:30 p.m. end time, at Campbell's Stadium in Camden City.

During the 62-mile Leg 8 course, around 200 law enforcement officials entered and left the stretch at different points in their respective regions.  

Carey and Rodgers were driven a few towns over, by a fellow Collingswood officer, to begin their stretch of Leg 8. 

The two men joined five other area law enforcement officials, running down the White Horse Pike with police escorts leading and following them.

The group of seven men crossed over the Collingswood border around 2:45 p.m. Friday, where the White Horse Pike meets . 

Collingswood Police Lt. Glenn A. Prince voiced praise for Carey and Rodgers' participation in the event.

"The Torch Run supports (New Jersey) Special Olympics by raising money," Prince said Friday afternoon, as the men prepared to leave headquarters. "We're very proud to have two men running this year, for a great cause."

A campaign recognized statewide, the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for Special Olympics New Jersey is completely organized by state law enforcement officials, according to the Special Olympics New Jersey website.

Since 1983, the website says LETR has been a valuable sponsor of Special Olympics. Each year, the statewide run culminates as the torch reaches its final destination—at the Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies.

Once there, the torch is used to light an opening ceremony cauldron, according to the site, symbolizing the official kick-off to Summer Games.

And Collingswood Police Department Agent Kevin Carey was glad to be part of this year's run.

"I've been doing (the torch run) for the past four or five years," said Carey Friday. "It's a great event."