SALT LAKE CITY — Hundreds of motorcycle riders and community members gathered Saturday for the 20th annual Memorial Ride for Fallen Officers, honoring Utah law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.
The ride traveled from South Salt Lake Saturday to the Utah State Capitol before concluding with a solemn service at the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial.
For Carolyn Jones, the annual event is deeply personal.
Her husband, David Jones, was a deputy with the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department in Escalante. In 2003, he was shot and killed while making a traffic stop.
Jones has participated in the memorial ride every year since it began.
“It’s really important to me that we’re here, that my husband’s not forgotten,” she said.
She said she is especially moved by the people who come out along the route to show their support.
“I love it when people are on the side of the road waving,” Jones said. “That is so energizing, that they care enough to come out on the street.”
Pat Evans, president of the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial, said the ride gives the public an opportunity to stand alongside motorcycle riders and honor officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“It really is an opportunity for the public to come out, these motorcycle riders, and support and remember our fallen officers here in the state of Utah,” Evans said.
The ride originally helped raise money for the memorial honoring Utah officers killed in the line of duty. Today, the event continues as an annual tribute to their lives and service.
Evans said the support from the public means a great deal to the families of fallen officers.
“I know a lot of people will stand outside with flags and do different things, but they realize there’s an importance behind it,” he said.
He also emphasized that the risks of law enforcement extend beyond the officers themselves.
“Every law enforcement officer, when they take that oath and they start that job, they know that there are some risks. And also, their family knows there’s that risk,” Evans said.
“Nobody expects it, nobody wants it, but when these officers put on that badge, they know that they are taking on a risk.”
The memorial service that followed Saturday’s ride provided a solemn reminder of that sacrifice, honoring the officers and the families who continue to carry their loss.
The Utah Law Enforcement Memorial encourages members of the public to visit the permanent memorial and learn more about the officers who gave their lives serving their communities.
