Police officer to ride bicycle in Bashioum’s memory
For the last six years, former Hanover Township police Officer Shawn McMinn has pedaled hundreds of miles in honor of fallen comrades.
This year will be no different for McMinn, now a member of the Aspinwall police department in Allegheny County, when he takes to the road to honor the memory of fallen Canonsburg police Officer Scott Bashioum, who was killed Nov. 10 while responding to a domestic call in the borough. He also will be riding in memory of K-9 Aren of the Port Authority of Allegheny County police, who was stabbed during an incident in January 2016.
McMinn will be part of the Police Unity Tour, a four-day, 320-mile ride from East Hanover, N.J., to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., arriving May 12 as part as National Police Week. The ride is a fundraising effort for the memorial.
The unity tour was organized 20 years ago by a New Jersey police officer and has several chapters across the country. McMinn is a member of Chapter 1. Each chapter starts from a different location, but all end at the memorial.
“I ride in honor of officers who have been killed in the line of duty in this area,” McMinn said. “I feel that they gave up their lives, it is the least I can do. By riding, I am able to keep their memories for their families and friends they left behind.”
The ride has been rough at times over the years.
“The first year I rode, there were 35-mile per hour winds and pouring rain,” McMinn said. “We are all supposed to average about 7 miles an hour, but I think we were going about 2 miles an hour.”
McMinn said he is required to raise $1,850 in sponsorships to participate in the tour. He added that almost $16 million has been raised and donated to the memorial.
Donations can be made by going to www.policeunitytour.com, clicking on the “sponsor a member” tab and typing Shawn McMinn. Checks or money orders can by made out to Police Unity Tour and mailed to Aspinwall Police Department, Attn.: Officer Shawn McMinn, 217 Commonwealth Ave., Aspinwall, PA 15215. Donations must be received by May 1.