SAVANNAH, GA (July 27, 1011): The Savannah-Chatham Metro Police Department Patrol School Class’s tribute to fallen officer Mark A. MacPhail Sr. on Thursday has become a community happening.
More than 100 runners and walkers, ranging from civilians to officers from police departments as far away as Statesboro, Rangers from Hunter Army Air Field and members of the MacPhail family have indicated they will run as a tribute to MacPhail, who was shot August 19, 1989, while working off-duty at the Greyhound bus station, trying to break up an attack on a homeless man.
Runners will stage at 9 a.m. in the North end of Forsyth Park near Gaston and Bull streets. The run will begin at 10 a.m., proceed north on Drayton Street and then west on Oglethorpe Avenue to 610 West Oglethorpe, where Officer MacPhail was killed. A wreath honoring Officer MacPhail and his service will be laid by the Metro recruits with a short ceremony.
This Law Enforcement Memorial Run will be the second “Run to Remember” for Metro. The tradition was started earlier this year to allow recruit classes to honor and pay tribute to the 57 officers who have died in the line of duty in Chatham County. The run is coordinated and supervised by the department’s training unit.
The run occurs during the trainees’ 17th week of training, when the idea of being police officers is settling in. They have undergone weeks of book work, hands-on training and physical fitness training. Trainers now hope to illustrate the ultimate sacrifices many have made serving and protecting their communities.
Anyone wishing to participate can simply show up at the event or contact Training Director Gary Taylor at 658-6335 or Ofc. Aaron Washington at 667-1830.
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