Brentwood Officers to Uphold the Torch for Special Olympics

Around 10 a.m. on Monday, will hit the streets to take part in Missouri’s Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Special Olympics.

This two-mile stretch of the relay is part of the Central County Torch Run, one of 35 different routes that will be completed by law enforcement agencies around the state that leads up to the opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games on Wednesday in Springfield, MO.

“It’s really a neat thing that each region in the state has its own real torch that runs to Springfield,” officer Craig Eisenbeis said.

Missouri’s Law Enforcement Torch Run began raising funds for the state’s Special Olympics program 26 years ago. This is the second year that Brentwood has participated in recent years. Local residents can cheer on the runners and catch a glimpse of the torch as it arrives at the corner of Manchester and S. Hanley Roads after passing through Maplewood. Officers will then run along Manchester before turning north on S. Brentwood Boulevard to Eager Road.

Although knee problems will prevent Eisenbeis from participating in the run on Monday, he will travel to Springfield on Wednesday to participate in the opening ceremony festivities. He looks forward to working with the athletes and presenting medals to event winners.

“It’s very rewarding,” he said. “You don’t usually get so many high-fives and handshakes in this job.”

The Brentwood Police Department is also raising money for Special Olympics Missouri through the sale of short and long-sleeved Torch Run T-shirts, available at the . Those funds and all other donations will go towards providing free housing, food and wellness checks for the more than 15,000 Special Olympics athletes in Missouri.