Cops carry torch of hope

Marisa O’Neil

If you thought you saw what looked like a caravan of runners carrying

the Olympic torch on Thursday, you weren’t hallucinating.

The next Olympic Games don’t take place until 2006 in Turin,

Italy. But the annual Special Olympics Southern California Summer

Games take place in Long Beach next weekend and local law enforcement

officers, including some from Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, kicked

off the celebration this week by carrying the torch -- called the

Flame of Hope -- throughout Southern California.

The southern leg of this year’s Law Enforcement Torch Run for

Special Olympics started Tuesday at the California-Mexico border and

passed through Newport Beach and Costa Mesa on Thursday morning. The

run will wrap up June 10, with officers bringing the torch into Long

Beach State for the opening ceremonies.

Roughly 1,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities will compete

in a variety of sporting events during the three-day games.

“The officers are amazing,” said Corine Couwenberg of Special

Olympics Southern California. “They go out of their way do so much

for us.”

The annual torch run, which started 24 years ago, is the largest

grass-roots fundraising and public awareness program for the

organization, she said. Still, Thursday’s run represented only a

small part of law enforcement’s role with Special Olympics,

Couwenberg said.

Costa Mesa Police raised about $4,500 in April at a Tip-a-Cop

night at the South Coast Plaza Claim Jumper. Organizers are scouting

out possible locations for a similar fundraiser in Newport Beach.

Countywide, law enforcement agencies have raised about $50,000

this year, Couwenberg said.

Thursday’s run started with Laguna Beach officers jogging north on

Coast Highway. About half a dozen Newport Beach officers took over

for their seven-mile leg right at the city border.

“We want to do anything we can to provide support and give people

the opportunity to enjoy life,” Capt. Mike Hyams said of the

officers’ involvement with Special Olympics.

Newport Beach’s team handed the torch to Costa Mesa officers near

Mariners Park late Thursday morning. About 20 department employees --

and some police recruits -- ran the three miles to the Bristol Street

handoff to state parole officers.

“Everyone wants to participate in such a big cause and acknowledge

these special kids and adults,” Costa Mesa Sgt. Bob Ciszek said.

“Everyone lines up to do this.”

Other departments taking part in the run were UC Irvine Police,

Irvine Police and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Those competing in the Special Olympics get a thrill out of police

officers’ involvement, Couwenberg said.

“Our athletes get so excited to stand next to a uniformed

officer,” she said.