1,500 miles of biking to fight human trafficking ends with a celebration in Newport
A 1,500-mile charity bike ride for human trafficking awareness wrapped up with a ceremony at the Newport Dunes Resort on Sunday.
Newport Beach Deputy Police Chief David McGill and Detective Jason Prince were part of the eight bike riders and four support staff that made up the team of Freedom Ride, a nonprofit bicycle ride that kicked off Sept.9 in Bend, Ore., and concluded Sunday with a ceremony and talks from human trafficking survivors.
After riding nearly 100 miles in a day, the Freedom Ride team crossed the finish line at the resort at 1p.m.
The event, put on by the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Newport Beach Police Department, had paddleboarding, hydro-rock wall climbing, BMX bike shows, bike decoration stations, free bike tuneups, live music and food trucks.
Those attending heard speeches from sex trafficking survivors and saw a short documentary on the subject.
In a featured speech, Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis commemorated the event.
“This is a great day for us at the Newport Beach Police Department,” Lewis said. “We are honored to support the Freedom Ride Project in their mission to raise awareness about human trafficking. Our support includes our most important asset: our people.”
Lewis also said the department is pledging a full-time police officer to the task force.
“This officer will be dedicated to combating human trafficking, protecting victims, and stopping the criminals who perpetuate and profit from this modern-day slavery,” he said.
