[July 28, 2012]    

Friday morning the Illinois C.O.P.S. Cycle Across Illinois bikers made a pit stop at the Logan County Safety Complex. C.O.P.S. stands for "Concerns of Police Survivors." The three-day trek from Alton to Chicago is to raise funds and awareness of the needs of families who have lost an officer in the line of duty.

Pictures by Nila Smith

The group was set to arrive in Lincoln at 10:30 a.m. and they were right on time

Bikers were escorted by police departments from around the state.

 

Bikes start pulling into the shaded area on the south side of the complex

Riders this year included three surviving spouses, a set of parents, and five to six children of officers who have died in the line of duty.

 

C.O.P.S. offers a wide variety of services to assist families who have suffered a loss in the line of duty.

One of the first things the group does is contact the police department where an officer has died. They work through that department to offer moral support to grieving families.