From May 9th to May 12th Amityville Village Police Officer and Fire Department volunteer Brian Scott will be participating in the Police Unity Tour, a benefit bicycle ride from Ground Zero in Manhattan to Washington D.C. This ride is to raise money for the National Police Museum scheduled to open in 2011. This will be the third year in a row that Scott has participated in this important event. He belongs to the New York Chapter, "Chapter 37" named after the 37 Port Authority Officers killed on 9-11. It is for that reason that our Chapter always leaves from Ground Zero and meets up with the rest of the riders who start in New Jersey where the ride first began over ten years ago. "We ride for those who died" is the Unity Tour's motto so that our fallen brothers and sisters may never be forgotten. The first day is usually a short 40-mile ride, but the second and third days are 100 miles each. Along the way the riders stop at police departments or sites where a police officer has died for a brief memorial service. On the fourth and final day, the ride ends at the National Police Memorial in Washington D.C., where riders are greeted by both their own families and survivor families. "The pain of the last three days is quickly replaced with both a sense of pride and sadness," said Scott. "Pride that you accomplished your approximately 300-mile journey and sadness for those families who have lost a loved one. It is at that point where it all comes together and you realize why you just rode those three hundred miles." The following night a candlelight vigil is held to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. A roll call of fallen officers' names is read, and their names inscribed on the walls of the memorial. "Each year I ride in memory of Richie Brooks, or 'Brooksie' as he was known to friends," said Scott. "Richie, after serving twenty years in NYPD, was senselessly gunned down while working for the Town of Babylon as a Bay Constable. Scott said that over the past two years he has been lucky enough through the generosity of the people of Amityville and Babylon and its many fine organizations to have raised over $10,000.00. "For that , I am truly thankful," he said. Donations to support this year's event can be sent to the Police Unity Tour, PO Box 2043, Miller Place, NY 11764.

Scott is shown at right with his son Brian making a copy of Richie Brooks' name from the National Police Memorial. In photo, above Scott is shown with his wife Ginny, daughter, Gina and my Son Brian at the end of the tour last year.