By Tim Douglass

tdouglass@pctribune.com

Pope County Sheriff Tim Riley and Chief Deputy Nathan Brecht will join about 30 other law enforcement officers in the TOUR de SHIELD616 Bike Ride fundraiser across Minnesota on June 19-23.

Four  other local officers, Elliot Draz, a former Starbuck officer who now works for Alexandria Police Department; Brody Merrill, a former Pope County Deputy who now works for Douglas County Sheriff’s Office; Alexandria Police Chief Scott Kent and Minnesota State Trooper Darren Athey, will also be on the five-day bike ride across the state to help raise funds for local officers equipment.  There are other firefighters and police offers from Alexandria taking part in the ride.

The group of bicyclists are taking part in the Tour de Shield616 Minnesota Bike Ride.  Shield616 is a nonprofit agency based in Colorado that helps equip law enforcement personnel with the necessary advanced armor that helps to protect them against active shooters and in crowd control situations.

The Minnesota Bike Ride is a fundraiser that helps “protect our protectors” by donating all-day, rifle-rated armor to first responders and also helps to build stronger relationships between first responders and the citizens they serve, it was stated. 

The route for the TOUR de SHIELD616 was specifically chosen. This route will not only take the riders across Minnesota and into North Dakota, but they will be stopping at all the Scheels (a major donor to the effort) locations along the way and enjoying the Wobegon and Central Lakes bike trails. 

Local officers also riding 

for Deputy Josh Owen

The ride will also provide an END OF WATCH coin for Pope County Sheriff Deputy Josh Owen who was killed in the line of duty on April 15, 2023.

“Help us protect our protectors and never forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice!” it was stated on the website about the Ride.  

The local officers are participating in the ride for two reasons,” according to Sheriff Tim Riley.   “One is to do our part in raising funds for needed body armor and two, as a memorial ride for Josh Owen,” said Sheriff Riley.  “Deputy Owen gave the ultimate sacrifice and we can do our part in keeping his memory alive,” Riley added.  

And the money raised locally will go specifically to the Pope County Sheriff’s Office and Glenwood and Starbuck Police Departments.  The money raised will purchase the all-day, rifle-rated armor for 12 Pope County Deputies, six Starbuck police officers and five Glenwood police officers.  About five years ago, the same group reached out to local donors who provided funding for purchase of body armor for the local officers, according to Sheriff Tim Riley.

The financial goal of the ride is to provide vests for the local law enforcement officers at a cost of about $108,800.  That amount will supply vests for 41 Douglas County Deputies, 12 vests for Pope County Deputies, 25 for Alexandria Police Department; six vests for Starbuck Police Department and five vests for Glenwood Police Department.

The bike ride begins in Winona on the Wisconsin board to Owatonna (92.2 miles) on Day 1.  On the second day bike riders will travel 102 miles from Owatonna to Chaska; on the third day from Chaska to St. Cloud (87.2 miles and then from St. Cloud to Brandon (77.9 miles) and will stop in Alexandria on that day (Saturday, June 22) at Big Ole Central Park, located just north of downtown Alexandria on the south shore of Lake Agnes. Big Ole Central Park is home to Big Ole, a 28-foot tall Viking statue, as well as serving as the trailhead for the Central Lakes Trail.   On the final day, the ride will travel 97.4 miles from Alexandria to Moorhead.  That makes the full trip 456.7 miles across Minnesota.

How to Donate

Those wishing to donate to the fundraiser can do so by going to the website: Shield616.org or directly to the donation page by visiting  https://shield616.org/donate/