Police Officer to Bike to D.C. to Honor Slain Cops

South Orange Police Officer Adrian Acevedo is gearing up for a 300-mile bike ride to Washington, DC, next month.

Acevedo, 32, is participating for the fourth time in the annual Police Unity Tour, a four-day bike ride from Florham Park, NJ, to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to honor police officers who died in the line of duty. It takes place this year on May 9-12, and the fundraising requirement for every participant is $1,700. Last year, 1,100 riders participated, and $1.25 million was raised for the Natural Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

The memorial wall currently has more than 18,500 names. In 2008, 134 officers were killed, nationwide; the number to date in 2009 is 35.

Acevedo is riding on behalf of Oswaldo Perez-Leon, a police officer from Puerto Rico who was killed in July after being struck by a van while driving children home from a Police Athletic League event. To Acevedo, his death underscores the fact that police officers aren't just exposed to danger when they're fighting crime.

"Every day, the guys are doing something good for the community, and just like that in a flash, it's over," said Acevedo, who lives in Washington, NJ, and will meet Perez-Leon's brother in Washington, DC.

With about 15 days left before the ride, he's started to train more seriously and completed a 50-mile training ride last weekend.

"Where I live is very, very hilly," he said. "If I go for an hour ride around my house, it's like double the training."