Local Cops Pay Touching Tribute to Fallen Brethren

Roughly 100 local police officers stopped by local memorials in Riverton and Moorestown Thursday, among other locations, to pay tribute to their fallen brethren as part of the first leg of a journey that will take them to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The Police Unity Tour—a 200-mile bike ride to the D.C. memorial that raises awareness and money for fallen police officers and their families—doesn't officially begin until Friday, but officers from several nearby departments took part in their own mini tour of local memorials Thursday morning, including stops at the Thomas C. Whitelock Memorial in Riverton and Frank Fullerton Memorial Park in Moorestown. 

Whitelock was killed in the line of duty in 1976, when he took a bullet for his partner while the two were arresting a mentally unstable man. 

Riverton Police Officer Jeff Walker, who was partly inspired to take part in the Tour because of Whitelock's story, said he was moved by Thursday's ride.

"It was nice to give back. It was a long time ago, so you never want to forget," Walker said. "It's always in the back of your mind (that you could get hurt in the line of duty). It could happen anywhere."

Walker will leave from Millville Friday morning with the rest of the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the Unity Tour to begin their trip to D.C.  

Members of the Frank Fullerton family, including his son, Frank Jr., were also in attendance and were recognized for the fallen officer's sacrifice.

Frank Fullerton was killed in the line of duty in 1979 while exchanging gunfire with armed robbers. Frank Jr. was a 20-year-old police cadet when he learned of his father's death.

"It means a lot. To me, it's like it happened yesterday," said the younger Fullerton, who served 30 years with Moorestown Police and is now retired. "It gives me comfort knowing they'll always remember."

Hundreds of police officers from the North Jersey chapter of the Police Unity Tour, including five Moorestown officers, will make their way down Route 130 Friday, stopping at the rest area near the Delanco Bridge (at 130 and Creek Road) around 11:30 a.m./noon, before continuing their ride south. 

"It's nice to remember your own guys, and to ride with your brothers and sisters down there," said Moorestown Ptlm. George Hubel. "You can't really put it into words until you're down at the memorial, and you see ... all the rememberances that are left down there. It kind of keeps you grounded."