Fed members gearing up for 2024 Police Unity Tour

24 July 2024

Northamptonshire’s ride lead for the upcoming Police Unity Tour (PUT) says his team are ready to honour the region’s fallen officers on the 200-mile bike journey.

Custody Sergeant Simon Randall has led the local team since 2017 and has been instrumental in seeing Northamptonshire become its own independent chapter in the event.

19 officers from the county, including Simon, will participate in this year’s ride, which kicks off on Friday (26 July) and ends on Sunday (28 July).

“We have a good number of people taking part this year, and that’s given us a boost from the off,” said Simon, who - prior to transferring to Northamptonshire - rode with the Met chapter.

He added: “There is a lot of enthusiasm for the ride and everyone is looking forward to a special weekend.

Enthusiasm

“Since 2022, our force has been its own chapter. This means we are completely separate from the Met Police and ride as a group on our own, setting off from Northamptonshire. We were already incredibly proud to be part of the national Unity Tour, but now that sense of pride has gone up another notch.

“We also have six support staff involved - van drivers, motorcycle outriders and a marked car escort driver, without whom our journey wouldn’t be possible."

The aim of the event is to raise funds and awareness for the Care of Police Survivors (COPS), a charity that provides care and support for the bereaved families of police officers who have passed away.

Last year's Northamptonshire Police Unity Tour team.

The tour ends at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, to coincide with COPS’ Annual Service of Remembrance. The memorial park is a national site of remembrance and provides officers a chance to pay their respects to fallen colleagues at the end of their ride.

COPS was founded in 2003 by the late Jim McNulty, a detective from Strathclyde Police, and Christine Fulton MBE, whose police officer husband died on duty in 1994. After losing a friend who worked as a police lieutenant in the US, Jim was moved by a national memorial service in Washington DC and subsequently began efforts to hold a similar event in the UK.

The charity cares for survivor relatives in a variety of ways, including by bringing them together with other grieving families through peer support opportunities and by offering access to counselling and specialist bereavement services.

Simon explained what the annual event journey means to him: “An absolute great deal – I can’t imagine not being part of it. Ever since I first got involved, I got the bug and I’m honoured to be leading it nowadays.

Fallen officers

“Policing is a profession we are all committed to, and sometimes that commitment can unfortunately come at the worst cost for some. We must always remember them. COPS is the most important part of all this, and the incredible work it does for the loved ones of fallen officers should be supported as much as possible.

“The tour allows us to do both of those things.

“The impact of the Arboretum service on Sunday is just phenomenal, every year. It allows police from all over to come together, and it’s a very emotional afternoon,” Simon added.

The 53-year-old went on to speak about Northamptonshire Police officers who are remembered at the event.

“Of course, we never forget any officer, but there are three who have sadly died in more recent times. One of these is PC Alex Prentice, who died two years ago. He never actually wanted to ride in the tour but his involvement as our mini-bus driver was integral to our participation, taking us down to London every year when we rode with the Met Police,” explained Simon.

“As you’ll gather from that selfless act, he was a fantastic person and is missed by so many of us. We will be using his memory, as well as those of the others, to push through when we’re feeling the miles in our legs.”

While arrival at the Arboretum is planned for Sunday, much of the ride’s distance will be covered in mammoth efforts across the Friday and Saturday of the Tour. The group’s main stop along the journey will come at Rushden Lakes in the Nene Valley, arranged between 12 and 1 p.m. on Friday so that the team’s sponsors can join them for lunch.