Police officers and staff from Wiltshire Police have begun a 185-mile charity cycle ride to honour colleagues who have died in the line of duty.
The six-strong team, including Assistant Chief Constable Deb Smith, set off from Devizes Police Headquarters on Friday 7 August as part of this year’s Police Unity Tour.
Over the next three days, the riders will travel to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, where they are due to arrive on Sunday for a national commemoration ceremony attended by officers and staff from police forces across the UK.
The annual event raises money for Care of Police Survivors (COPS), a charity that supports the families of police officers who die while on duty, as well as injured officers.
Assistant Chief Constable Deb Smith said: “It is always an absolute privilege to take part in this event to honour those officers who have sadly lost their lives whilst on duty.
“In Wiltshire, 30 Wiltshire officers have lost their lives since 1839 and we will be thinking of them all during the ride.
“I hope this event also serves as an opportunity for the public to acknowledge the dangers that officers face when policing our county day in, day out, and pay their own tributes to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
Wiltshire’s Police Unity Tour chapter is made up of six riders and two support staff this year.
The Police Unity Tour is held annually and sees police forces from across the country take part.
Since it began, the event has raised more than £1 million for COPS, helping the charity purchase its first respite property, Unity House.
