Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run

Source: UCSB Police Department

Santa Barbara County Law Enforcement officers will go above the normal call of duty and run in the Annual Law Enforcement Torch run final leg on Wednesday June 7th at 11:30 a.m. at UCSB Police Department.

The kick-off ceremony starts promptly at 11:30 a.m. with over 90 law enforcement officers that will run the “Flame of Hope” through Southern Santa Barbara County as the torch makes its way to the Special Olympics Summer Games Opening Ceremony on Saturday, June 10th at California State Long Beach.

Runners will represent every law enforcement agency in the South County, including: Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office, Santa Barbara Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, Santa Barbara County Probation Department, UCSB Police, California Highway Patrol and California State Parks. Santa Barbara Police Chief Lori Luhnow will be running in the Final Leg along with local special Olympics athletes.

The South County portion of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg is coordinated every year by Lt. Butch Arnoldi of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. With over 31 years of experience coordinating the Torch Run and year-round volunteer opportunities for law enforcement officers, Lt. Arnoldi has been instrumental in sustaining the success of the Law Enforcement Torch Run in Santa Barbara.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run movement has become the largest grassroots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics. The Southern California Torch Run is one of the leading programs in the world, having raised $ 2 million in 2016. Local Law Enforcement Agency officers volunteer at local sports competitions and participate in the Special Olympics Tip-A-Cops and the Annual Polar Plunge fundraiser, collecting funds to benefit local programs. In 2016, local Santa Barbara County Law Enforcement agencies helped raise over $36,000 for Special Olympics Santa Barbara.

The 2017 Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg will feature hundreds of officers carrying the Flame more than 1,500 miles through 200 Southern California communities. Two additional Torch Run routes, one in Los Angeles County and one in San Diego County, will occur simultaneously. All torches will unite at the Summer Games Opening Ceremony this year on Saturday, June 10th at California State Long Beach.

Thirty-eight Santa Barbara Special Olympics athletes will compete in the Summer Games in the sports of basketball, bocce, gymnastics, swimming and track and field. For additional information on the Special Olympics Torch Run, contact Gina Carbajal, Regional Director for Special Olympics Santa Barbara County at 805-884-1516 x 10 or gcarbajal@sosc.org.