PD escorts Special Olympics torch

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

During Tuesday morning’s occasional drizzle, runners from the Copperas Cove Police Department took off on a two-mile run through the city. Sgt. Martin Ruiz with the Copperas Cove Police Department said the credit for organizing the run in Copperas Cove, as well as in other central Texas cities, goes to Sandra Hunt with the Killeen Police Department, who is on the law enforcement torch run committee for the area. Ruiz said that in the past, officers from Copperas Cove to include himself have gone to Arlington where the Special Olympics are held. “There were over 5,000 in the stadium,” Ruiz said. This year, he isn’t able to go to Arlington because of prior commitments. The runners sported either dark gray or hot pink T-shirts commemorating this year’s games. Ruiz said money from the sales of the T-shirts goes straight back to the Special Olympics. A number of those who didn’t run also wore the shirts. After posing for a group picture, the runners took off along Avenue E, then S. 1st Street to Meggs, then along South 5th Street where they were cheered on by students from Fairview-Jewell Elementary. The runners then took a turn down Veterans Avenue, which they took to Main Street and headed back to the police station. For more than a decade, law enforcement personnel throughout Texas have supported the Special Olympics program by the torch run as well as having fund raisers. Local law enforcement officers participate in the Special Olympics run annually. In addition to the officers, several other city employees participated to include City Manager Andrea Gardner, library director Kevin Marsh and budget director Ryan Haverlah.