|
June 1, 2016
Contact: Gary Hagler, 517-284-6017
Conservation officer recruits to carry 'Flame of Hope' on first leg of Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Michigan
 Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officer recruits once again will run the first leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Michigan.
Thursday, June 2, one day before graduating from the 22-week conservation officer training academy, the 16 recruits from Recruit School No. 7 will leave the Capitol building steps, running in formation during their 5-mile leg of the journey while carrying the “Flame of Hope.”
“For the last three years, the conservation officer academy recruits have been invited to run the first leg of the Torch Run, and this has been quite an honor,” said Gary Hagler, chief of the DNR Law Enforcement Division. “Michigan conservation officers are highly supportive of Special Olympics Michigan and its more than 23,000 talented, hardworking athletes.”
The event begins on the Capitol steps at 10 a.m. Speakers from the DNR Law Enforcement Division, Michigan State Police, the Department of Corrections, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Michigan Sheriff’s Association, the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and Lansing State Police will speak on their continued support of Special Olympics Michigan.
The nine-hour run, a 14-leg journey completed by various law enforcement agencies, begins immediately following the speakers at 10:30 a.m. The conservation officer recruits will end their leg of the journey at Old U.S. 27 near Stoll Road, passing the torch to the Lansing Police Department.
 View the 2015 video of DNR conservation officer academy recruits running the first leg of the Torch Run.
“The conservation officer recruits are looking forward to participating in the Torch Run,” said Sgt. Jason Wicklund, recruit school commander. “This gives them another opportunity to show their support for Special Olympics Michigan while training to protect Michigan’s citizens and natural resources.”
As the Guardians of the Flame, more than 30 law enforcement Torch Run volunteers representing different agencies will run the torch 70 miles to the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics Michigan State Summer Games presented by Spartan Nash. The law enforcement volunteers participating in the final leg of the run will arrive at 6:30 p.m. in Kelly/Shorts Stadium at Central Michigan University (CMU), passing the flame to a Special Olympics Michigan athlete who will light the “Flame of Hope.”
Special Olympics Michigan’s State Summer Games is one of the largest Special Olympics Summer Games and will take place on the CMU campus June 2-4.
For more information about the 2016 State Summer Games presented by SpartanNash, visit SOMI.org. Keep tabs on the State Summer Games on social media with the hashtag #SOMISG on Twitter and Instagram, and on Facebook at facebook.com/specialolympicsmichigan.
Subscribe to the weekly conservation officer academy blog, which also is posted weekly on the Michigan DNR Facebook page. The blog follows conservation officer recruits through the 22-week training academy as they work toward the goal of becoming Michigan conservation officers. View past blogs from Recruit School No. 7.
Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned state peace officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect citizens by providing general law enforcement duties and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more about Michigan conservation officers at www.michigan.gov/conservationofficers.
# # #
/Note to editors: An accompanying photo is available below for download. Caption information follows.
In 2015, Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officer academy recruits also ran the first 5-mile leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Michigan. Pictured here are conservation officer recruits from Recruit School No. 6./
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
|
