Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics comes through South Lake Tahoe .
Submitted by paula on Tue, 06/13/2023 - 8:06pm
EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - For 26 years the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics has been held in Northern California. Known as Guardians of the Flame, law enforcement members from the Sacramento region, along with inspiring Special Olympics athletes, carried the "Flame of Hope" through the City of Sacramento, culminating at the State Capitol's west steps.
Law enforcement and athletes carried the torch starting Tuesday through 30 counties and over 180 cities.
This year, the El Dorado County Probation Department, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, Placerville Police Department, South Lake Tahoe Police Department(SLTPD), California Highway Patrol Placerville, California Highway Patrol South Lake Tahoe, California State Parks, and El Dorado County District Attorney's office came together in collaboration to bring the Law Enforcement Torch Run to El Dorado County. The vehicles used in South Lake Tahoe include the SLTPD MRAP, vehicles and electric bikes, CHP motorcycles and cars, and EDSO patrol vehicles.
At 3 p.m. June 13, Special Olympic runners and volunteers started at Heavenly Cal Base Lodge where they were escorted by several law enforcement vehicles with their lights flashing and sirens, all to celebrate the Special Olympics. They ended at Lakeview Commons in South Lake Tahoe.
This was the last leg of a long day of torch runs in the county that started with the first segment in Coloma at 9 a.m. That segment ended at the Marshall Gold Discovery Park. The second segment began at 11:30 a.m. at the start of the Deputy Brian Ishmael Trail, went down Forni Road into Downtown Placerville, ending at the Bell Tower with a Proclamation presented by Mayor Saragosa. The third and final segment was the one in South Lake Tahoe. Each segment lasted approximately 35 minutes.
The Flame of Hope is transferred Wednesday to Tuolumne County.
A small but dedicated group of law enforcement officers, along with the support of Special Olympics staff, brought the Torch Run to life in Northern California in 1997, after being created in 1981. At that time, Wichita, Kansas Police Chief Richard LaMunyon created the Torch Run, thinking it would help law enforcement be active in the community and support Special Olympics Kansas. LaMunyon then presented his idea to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the rest is history.
Each year hundreds of law enforcement personnel participate in Northern California, raising over 20 million dollars along the way to support the athletes of the Special Olympics.
The El Dorado County agencies combined resources to bring the fun run for a great cause to the communities.
The Special Olympics Summer Games for 2023 will be at Santa Clara University June 23–25. The 2023 Special Olympics World Games take place in Germany from June 17-25.
