Police ride to D.C. to honor fallen officers Six Woodbridge officers took part in bike ride to capital city this year BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer KATHY CHANG Six township officers participated in the 2007 Police Unity Tour Ride to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., May 10. Deputy Chief Philip DiNicola (c) stands with Patrolmen Marc Hecht (l) and Len Gigantino, Lt. Edward Barrett, and Patrolmen Lee Scarano and Ed Sciahetano. WOODBRIDGE - Six township police officers took off from Morris Township last week along with 400 other police officers world-wide on a 300-mile trek as part of the 2007 Police Unity Tour Ride to Washington, D.C. The Police Unity Tour consists of law enforcement officers bicycling to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., to remember and honor fallen officers who have died in the line of duty. The officers who participated in the ride include Lt. Edward Barrett, who has participated in the ride for five years, Patrolman Len Gigantino, who has participated in the ride for 10 years, Patrolman Marc Hecht, who has participated in the ride for nine years, retired Detective Sgt. Joseph Joraskie, who has participated in the ride for three years, Patrolman Lee Scarano, who has participated in the ride for nine years, and Patrolman Ed Sciahetano, who participated in the ride for his first time. COURTESY OF WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP The township unveiled two marked police vehicles, numbered 1 and 2, which will display the statewide Fallen Law Enforcement Officers memorial license plate in honor of Police Officer Alvin Williams, who died in the line of duty on Sept. 6, 1979, and Police Officer Joseph Lewis, who died in the line of duty on Sept. 18, 1932. "This is a great cause," said Gigantino at a proclamation ceremony where Mayor John E. McCormac and the Township Council honored the sacrifice of New Jersey and township police officers killed in the line of duty on May 8. The township has lost two of their own in the line of duty - Police Officer Alvin Williams on Sept. 6, 1979, and Police Officer Joseph Lewis on Sept. 18, 1932. Gigantino presented his proclamation to the Williams' family who participated in the ceremony. The township also unveiled two marked police vehicles numbered one and two, which will display the statewide "Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Memorial License Plate." The two police vehicles will represent the Williams and Lewis families. The fallen officer license plate program was initiated in honor of Long Branch Police Department Sgt. Patrick King, who was killed in the line of duty in 1997. The 400 police officers started their ride with a gala dinner and breakfast at Royal Albert's Palace in Fords on behalf of owner Albert Jasani on May 9 and started their ride on May 10. The primary goal for the ride is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Each officer is required to raise a minimum of $1500 to make the 300 plus mile trip. The first tour was organized by Officer Patrick Montuore of the Florham Park Police Department in May 1997. Eighteen police officers participated in the ride and $18,000 was raised. The memorial was founded in 1983 by members of the United States Congress who wanted to recognize the services and sacrifices of all law enforcement officers throughout the United States. The memorial, which was dedicated in 1991, includes the names of all law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. Currently there are 382 names of fallen officers on the wall, including seven from New Jersey. Police Departments from 17 states participated in ride and police departments from Australia. Police departments around Middlesex County who participated in the ride include East Brunswick, Edison, Metuchen, North Brunswick, Perth Amboy, Rutgers University and South Plainfield. This year, the police officers have raised approximately $1.1 million for the memorial.