The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) is a campaign to benefit the

Special Olympics Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and activities to 5 million participants and Unified Sports partners in 172 countries. Special Ol ...

. It began in 1981 in

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...

, and is the largest grass-roots fundraising movement for the Special Olympics. LETR is run by police officers, sheriff's deputies, correction officers, support staff, police volunteers and other law enforcement professionals from around the world. Close to 97,000 police professionals in over 45 countries participate in this worldwide effort to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics. Participants in the LETR help spread the word about the benefits of Special Olympics and how the program helps define the brave participants of these programs as athletes, and not define them by their disabilities. Since its inception in 1981, LETR has raised $619,187,626. Similar in many ways to the

Olympic Torch Relay The Olympic torch relay is the ceremonial relaying of the Olympic flame from Olympia, Greece, to the site of an Olympic Games. It was introduced at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, as a way for Adolf Hitler to highlight the Nazi claim of Arya ...

, the Law Enforcement Torch Run consists of scheduled relay events, usually held in conjunction and coordination with Special Olympics functions (like the Special Olympics Summer and Winter Games). While carrying the flame, officers and athletes are referred to as "Guardians of the Flame". In the broader sense, the LETR is used to define all of the special events, and fundraising activities that law enforcement conducts to contribute to this campaign. This includes (but is not limited to), tip-a-cop events,

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es, Polar Plunges, roof sits, motorcycle runs, online fundraising, T-shirt and hat sales, media events, and more. Every two years, the

Special Olympics World Games The Special Olympics World Games, also known as Special Olympiad, are an international sports, sporting event for participants with intellectual disabilities, organized by the IOC-recognised Special Olympics organization. Principles Although ...

are held. This brings about a special torch run called the Final Leg Run, during which, law enforcement, together with Special Olympic athletes, run the Flame of Hope throughout the host country for the games, spreading awareness for Special Olympics. This culminates with the lighting of the cauldron for the Flame of Hope at the opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics World Games. Every year, members of the LETR converge at the International LETR conference to exchange ideas, and network about Special Olympics awareness and fundraising techniques.

Gallery

Image:Sm torch.jpg, LETR Torch runners display the Flame of Hope at Niagara Falls, Canada Nov. '06. Image:special olympic athletes.jpg, Washington Special Olympic Athletes and Redmond Police Officer at a fundraising & awareness event Image:Tip a cop.jpg, A tip-a-cop event to benefit

. Image:Roof sit.jpg, Officers go up on a rooftop of a local grocery store to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics. Image:Servers.jpg, Police Officers serve meals during a fundraising event.

References

{{Reflist, refs= Special Olympics Torch relays

Gallery

See also

References