Corrections officers ride to Washington

Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey,” recounts an ancient Greek soldier’s decade-long voyage home after the Trojan War. The word odyssey, itself, has since become synonymous with a long and arduous journey.

In mid-May, members of the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections hopped on their bicycles, joining approximately 600 others, and began an odyssey of their own—pedaling from Florham Park, NJ to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. as part of the Police Unity Tour.

Their 300-mile ride took four days and ended with a candlelight vigil at the memorial which is etched with the names of 18,983 officers killed in the line of duty.

The Police Unity Tour was organized by Florham Park Police Officer Pat Montuore in May, 1997 to raise public awareness of police officers who have died in the line of duty and to honor their sacrifices. A total of 18 police officers from throughout New Jersey rode that first year and raised approximately $18,000. In comparison, this year, over 1,600 members from throughout the United States made the trip, raising $1.65 million for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Inspired by the tour’s motto, “We ride for those who died,” many riders traveled from countries such as Australia, Israel, Great Britain, Italy, India and Canada to join the tour. Montuore, who is now chief of the Florham Park Police Department, still accompanies the tour each year.

Tour participants from the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections raised approximately $7,500 and included the following people:

• Undersheriff Homer Wanamaker, who was accompanied by his daughter, Blaire, a detective with the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office

• Sussex County Sheriff’s Corrections Sergeant John Bannon, who was accompanied by his brother, Jim, a retired United States Coast Guard member

• Sussex County Sheriff’s Corrections Officer Jason Kimble

• Sussex County Sheriff’s Corrections Corporal Anthony Masucci

Since 1997, the Police Unity Tour has raised almost $12 million dollars for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum.

Riders who took part in the Police Unity Tour, from left to right: Homer Wanamaker, John Bannon, Blaire Wanamaker, Anthony Masucci, Jason Kimble and Jim Bannon.