Cops Cycling for Survivors will honor two local law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty last year.
The nonprofit group, which does a bicycle tour each year to honor fallen officers, will recognize late Indiana State Police Trooper Aaron N. Smith and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Timothy Guyer with memorial photos on their support truck ahead of National Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is May 15. Smith was killed on June 28, 2023, after a man allegedly veered into him intentionally during a police chase, while Guyer died on Aug. 1, 2023, from a health issue while being trained at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
The unveiling of the memorial photos was announced in conjunction with Cops Cycling for Survivors plans for their 23rd annual bicycle tour of Indiana. Members will bike nearly a thousand miles over 13 days in July to honor law enforcement officers fallen in the line of duty and their survivors, the organization said in a news release.
Cops Cycling for Survivors does not make a determination of line of duty death status but honors Indiana officers recognized by state and federal officials as having died in the line of duty, the news release says. This year, a special honor is given to seven officers recognized as line of duty deaths in 2023, including Smith and Guyer, with their memorial photos being put on the support truck.
The other five officers are:
- Deputy Sheriff Asson Hacker, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch: March 2, 2023
- Master Trooper James R. Bailey, Indiana State Police, End of Watch: March 3, 2023
- Maintenance Foreman Michael Robert Keel, Indiana Department of Correction, End of Watch: April 12, 2023
- Sergeant Heather Glenn, Tell City Police Department, End of Watch: July 3, 2023
- Deputy Sheriff John Durm, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch: July 10, 2023
The 2024 Cops Cycling for Survivors ride will take place from July 8 to July 20, starting and ending in Indianapolis. The route is as follows:
- July 8 – Indianapolis to Richmond
- July 9 – Richmond to Bluffton
- July 10 – Bluffton to Angola
- July 11 – Angola to South Bend
- July 12 – South Bend to Merrillville
- July 13 – Merrillville to Kentland
- July 14 – Kentland to Terre Haute
- July 15 – Terre Haute to Evansville
- July 16 – Evansville to Tell City
- July 17 – Tell City to Jeffersonville
- July 18 – Jeffersonville to Madison
- July 19 – Madison to Columbus
- July 20 – Columbus to Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis
Cops Cycling for Survivors makes every attempt to contact survivors, including family, co-workers, descendants and others of fallen officers but may not have contact information for some. Survivors are asked to be in touch with the group at Cops Cycling for Survivors, PO Box 597, Ellettsville, IN 47429, by phone 812-727-0725, or email [email protected], according to the news release
Interested cyclists may also contact the group for more information on joining the ride for all or parts of the ride. Cyclists include survivors, law enforcement officers, family members and friends of law enforcement, the news release says.
In addition to memorializing Indiana’s fallen officers, Cops Cycling for Survivors raises financial support for survivors. Proceeds from the annual ride provide line of duty death benefits for primary survivors as well as fund scholarships, camps, and other avenues of support for survivors. The group also assists survivors work through years of court dates, including parole hearings and appeals, as they seek justice for line of duty deaths, according to the news release.
More information and a donation page can be found at www.copscycling4survivors.org.
