Local Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Sergeant Karl Keesee, who lost his life in the line of duty last year, will be honored later this year in the Police Unity Tour which will begin in Portsmouth, Virginia on May 10th and will end in Washington, D.C. on May 12th. Retired Texas DPS Trooper Barry Morris will be riding in memory of Keesee.
The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. The secondary purpose is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum.
Mr. Morris has been cycling for 9 years and wanted to honor Keesee. He will be riding with Keesee’s flag with him. The event, according to Keesee’s wife who will also be attending, is huge. Keesee’s name will be read with others who gave their lives in the line of duty at the ceremony on May 15th. A monument will also be placed outside of the DPS office in Brownwood in honor of Keesee.Those wishing to help honor Sgt. Keesee by contributing a donation to the Unity Tour may contact Mr. Morris by emailing hockeybear20@me.com or bmorris@rockwallcountytexas.com. CLICK HERE to make a donation online, please note “Barry Morris Rockwall, TX Dist. Atty” at the bottom of the online form in order to insure the donation is made in memory of Sgt. Keesee.
About the Police Unity Tour:
In May 1997 the Police Unity Tour was organized, by Officer Patrick P. Montuore of the Florham Park Police Department, with the hope of bringing public awareness of Police Officers who have died in the line of duty and to honor their sacrifices.
The tour began with 18 riders on a four day fundraising ride from Florham Park, New Jersey to the national Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial in Washington, D.C., raising $18,000. This past May, there were over 1900 members nationwide participating, raising $1,997,000 to the National Law Enforcement Fund, bringing total donations to nearly $18,000,000 since its inception.
In late 2005, the Police Unity Tour pledged $5 Million in support of the National Law Enforcement Museum. Inspired by riders’ commitment and their motto, “WE RIDE FOR THOSE WHO DIED” the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has selected the Unity Tour’s organization to be the sponsor of the Museum’s Hall of Remembrance.
Having completed the $5 Million commitment to the Museum in 2009 the Police Unity Tour dedicated the 2010 ride to the restoration of the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The $1.1 Million restoration project includes the re-engraving, coating and sealing of the 18,983 names on the memorial as well as the cleaning of the walls and other memorial improvements.
In 2011 the Police Unity Tour became the official sponsor of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund’s “Officer of the Month Program”. Officers of the Month are honored at a special awards luncheon each May in Washington, DC during National Police Week, and they are featured in the Memorial Fund’s annual calendar. The Police Unity Tour is also proud to sponsor the NLEOMF’s “Recently Fallen Alerts”.
