TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - On Thursday Sept. 1st WTXL, along with the Tallahassee Police Department and Higher Ground Bike Company, is holding a fundraiser to help raise money for equipment so more survivors can participate in the Police Unity Tour.
Kiki Jones is one of those devoted to pedaling hard in the three day Police Unity Tour in honor of her father, Corporal Arlie Jones, who worked in Texas for the Odessa Police Department.
"He was responding to a domestic violence call, just a run of the mill domestic violence. He walked up to the door knocked on it and the guy shot him two other officers were also shot and killed," said Jones.
The ride will wrap up at the Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial Wall where thousands of fall officers' names are carved in the walls. Jones, assistant news director at WTXL, visited the wall on assignment in 2015 where she saw her father's name for the first time.
Jones said, "I remember I just sat there and just stared at it and I was crying and this woman came up to us and she patted me on the back and she was crying with me. She didn't know me either."
Now she is training hard on a stationary bike but is in need of one fit for long distances on the road. Though she admits riding is a little uncomfortable, it's nothing compared to her father's ultimate sacrifice of others.
The Police Unity Tour exists to raise awareness for Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty and to raise money for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum.
Starting Thursday during our Sunrise show (6a to 7a), you can call in to get more information about the Police Unity Tour and see how you can help show support for the Police Unity Tour.
You can also donate to help Jones and other survivors get equipment for the Police Unity Tour at this GoFundMe link. Any money left over that does not go to equipment will be donated to the Police Unity Tour.
If you are a survivor and you would like to participate, please call Officer Dave Northway at 850-556-1726 for more information.
The number to call in will be displayed on the screen, or you can check back on this story.
Help us to show that the ultimate sacrifice from our law enforcement community will not be forgotten.
