More than 30 local law enforcement officials recently participated in the last leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run, an annual event that kicks off the Special Olympics Southern California Summer Games.
Santa Maria City Park Rangers ran alongside officers from the Santa Maria and Guadalupe police departments, Santa Barbara County Probation, and the Department of Homeland Security, according to Rudy Gutierrez, Northern Santa Barbara County’s torch run coordinator.
Officers stopped at Santa Maria City Hall on June 5 to pass the torch, then ran to Lompoc, where they made several ceremonial stops. On June 6, the torch runners continued on through Santa Barbara and into Ventura County.
Gutierrez said the participating officers do fundraisers for local Special Olympics athletes throughout the year. At Santa Maria’s most recent Bull Canyon Run in May, law enforcement officials raised $20,000, which will go toward providing athletes with transportation, uniforms, and equipment.
This article appears in Jun 14-21, 2018.