GRANVILLE – Lt. Rick Rindels of the Granville Police Department participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics this past weekend, an event which occurs in several different areas of the country.
In Massachusetts, police officers from across the state start at locations on the Mass Pike and do a cruiser convoy, going from one service area on the Mass Pike to the next where additional officers join. The event continues and culminates at Harvard University.
Rindels, who started at the service area in Ludlow, said the Massachusetts State Police escorted the police officers and blocked off all of the entrance ramps so the officers could keep travelling without interruption. Around 200 police cruisers across the state joined in on the convoy.
Granville Police Lt. Rick Rindels helped out with the special olympics events at Harvard University on Saturday. (Photo from Granville Police Department)
Once the officers arrived at Harvard University, they went to the athletic fields on the campus to help out with the Special Olympics athletic events that were taking place.
Over 500 police officers throughout the commonwealth volunteered for the Special Olympics competitions and Rindels assisted in the track and field events.
This is the fifth year that Rindels has participated in the event and it is an experience that he always enjoys.
“It’s awesome, it really is, the kids have a great time with it,” he said. “They actually look forward to the police officers coming.”
Increasing police officer attendance for the event is important, and Rindels was happy to learn that 100 more police cruisers from Western Massachusetts participated in the event this year than they did last year.
“That’s all by word of mouth,” said Rindels. “I think 100 more cruisers to last year’s numbers are significant.”
A cookout followed the Special Olympics events allowing officers, volunteers and athletes to come together to eat and socialize.
