The Rochelle Police Department held its annual Law Enforcement Torch Run on June 10 to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics Illinois.

The run took place on Lincoln Highway from Illinois Route 38 to the historic Standard Oil gas station on Lincoln Avenue. RPD officers, dispatchers, administration and family members took part in the run, a long-held yearly tradition by the department. RPD also raised money for Special Olympics Illinois through its Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser last month at Dunkin Donuts.

RPD Sgt. Elvis Baneski called the run “successful” and said more RPD family members came out than in years past to support the Special Olympics cause.

“We continue to do this every year because it means a lot to the officers and the community,” Baneski said. “It’s a great cause and a way to show our appreciation for Special Olympics athletes and the challenges they face every day. This is a small thing we can do to represent them, run for them and be in their corner.”

Baneski said he enjoys RPD’s summer outreach events of Cop on a Rooftop, the Torch Run and National Night Out because they’re a way to connect with the community.

“Although we have a badge, we’re human beings,” Baneski said. “We want to have that connection with the people we serve and build that bond and relationship in times of need and in times of supporting other events and organizations. It’s an overall way to connect to the community. It’s an outlet for us to be able to relate to the community that we serve.”

Baneski said the Torch Run serves as a bonding experience for RPD officers, dispatchers, administration and family members. The department comes together for an event that meets each of the department’s core values: Family, service and community, he said.

Baneski thanked Special Olympics Illinois for the work it does and said the athletes helped by the organization keep RPD employees motivated for the run each year, with some running after working the night shift the night before. The run has become a rite of passage for the Rochelle Police Department.

“I’m one of the most senior officers out here,” Baneski said. “It means I’ve replaced the people I looked up to when I first started out. It’s an honor for me to be here as an example for the younger officers to be able to understand that ultimately this work goes beyond just writing tickets and responding to calls. It means standing up for what you believe in and helping the organization to serve other causes.”