Traffic Alert: Law Enforcement Torch Relay in Mount Vernon Friday

MOUNT VERNON, NY — A foot pursuit for a good cause might cause some traffic delays due to the right kind of police activity Friday morning.

To support the NY Special Olympics, members of the Mount Vernon Police Department will be participating in the Law Enforcement Torch Run on Friday morning. The Mount Vernon part of the run will enter the Broad St. Bridge at around 9:15 a.m., then run east on Broad to Gramatan, then north on Gramatan into Bronxville.

The Mount Vernon Police Department asks for your patience as traffic delays are to be expected as the torch travels along the route.

Every year, the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New York brings together nearly 6,000 police and peace officers from close to 500 agencies that carry the Flame of Hope across the state — including a relay in the Hudson Valley.

Friday marks 36 years of Westchester law enforcement support for the Special Olympics NY.

Officers and agencies throughout Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties organize, promote and participate in the run, which has several legs. And they meet for the finale event in Peekskill.

The first set of runners and escorts muster in New Rochelle at 7:45 a.m. for the Westchester East leg, and will pass the torch through Larchmont, Mamaroneck and White Plains.

Starting in Yonkers at 8 a.m., the West leg of the relay will pass through Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Eastchester and Scarsdale to White Plains.

Both southern Westchester legs will converge in White Plains at the Westchester County Center at about 11:45 a.m. and run mostly on Route 119 to Tarrytown.

Details on other legs of the run in Putnam and Rockland counties can be found here.

The Torch Run is Special Olympics' largest grassroots fundraiser and public awareness event. In New York, it generates more than $2 million in contributions annually.

Officials said the money helps the organization provide year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

It also exposes more than three million state residents to the message of hope and inspiration delivered by competitive athletes and their law enforcement champions.

Patch's Lanning Taliaferro contributed to this report.