South Bay Police Officers Carry Special Olympics Torch

PALO ALTO, CA — Officers were not only out in full force monitoring traffic for the Special Olympics Northern California Law Enforcement Torch Run, they're running in it — relay style.

Officers in a cluster of South Bay police departments are joining forces to carry on the tradition of supporting Special Olympics, and officers wouldn't have it any other way.

Take Palo Alto Police's Marco Estrada, who took part as about 15 officers from that department hitting the street.

"A lot of us are excited about doing it. It's a great cause," he told Patch, minutes before the event.

The officers take turns holding the torch with the Special Olympics member runners, a gesture sure to eliminate any dry eyes among spectators watching along the sidewalk.

Estrada even noted how some officers have family members in Special Olympics of Northern California, while others have at least known people in their encounters.

Given the law enforcement participants run four miles in their sectional legs, Estrada mentioned being grateful for taking part in such an event that spreads goodwill, keeps him fit and falls on the calendar on the right day. He's glad he didn't have to run in 100-degree heat.

"I'm glad it's 80, not 100. But I would've done it anyway," he said.

Officers escorted runners down northbound El Camino Real starting at 3 p.m. The runners from Los Altos Police Department met those from the Mountain View Police Department on El Camino Real near Clark Avenue to carry the torch down El Camino to pass off to runners from the Palo Alto Police Department near Los Altos Avenue.

The relay will end up on the U.C. Davis campus for the 2019 Special Olympics Northern California Summer Games. Athletes, families and supporters are encouraged to come out and also cheer for members of the Santa Clara and San Jose police departments as well as the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety's officers.