NJ Cops June2018 | Page 38

Police Unit y Tour Edison Township Local 75 You never forget your fi rst There was no sugarcoating the chal- lenge of the Police Unity Tour when Matthew Haley and Joseph Bench commented about riding for their first time with Edison Local 75. “It was rough,” Haley shared truth- fully. “Day three was the hardest.” Pedaling numerous hills for nearly 300 miles in the heat is a challenging day for even the most experienced rid- ers on the Tour. Thankfully, Haley and Bench traveled with plenty of inspira- tion that kept them moving forward. “This bracelet kept us going,” Bench stated, referring to the names of the fallen officers on his metal wristband. “You just look down whenever you need an extra push.” It also helped that these Local 75 first-timers were not the only ones. In the group of 21 members from Edison who took the Tour, nine had never felt the very powerful experience that has become a tribute to the fallen. Mat- thew Mieczkowski was one of those first-timers who was overwhelmed by the impact of riding. “It’s one thing for people to tell you about it. But to experience it is literally mind-blowing,” Mieczkowski stressed. “This is one of the coolest experiences I ever had in my life.” What may have made the ride even more meaningful for Mieczkowski was the fact that he traveled the distance alongside his father, Local 75 Deputy Chief Ron Mieczkowski. After 30 years on the job, Ron felt there was no bet- ter way to participate in the Unity Tour for the first time than alongside his son, regardless of the torture they may 38 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JUNE 2018 have felt putting up with each other as roommates throughout the trip. “I think I’m one of the luckiest guys in the world to be able to do this with my son,” Ron noted. “We motivated each other.” The Local 75 riders put hours into preparing for the Tour. For Nicole Err- ico, that meant working extra road jobs and overtime to purchase her own bike and equipment. Others, like Shir- ley Dong and Jerome Sisolak, buddied up as training partners. They started by taking 10-mile rides and increased the distance each time. By the end of their training, Dong and Sisolak were cycling more than 40 miles before the wo rk day even began. “We’ve been motivated by cowork- ers who have been riding five to eight years or more,” Dong explained. Local 75’s many Unity Tour veter- ans were thrilled to have such a big group of newcomers join them for the Tour, providing even more support and awareness on the ride for those who died. “It was absolutely amazing to see all of the new people train and work their way up to coming out on the ride,” Lo- cal 75 member Tim Ferrell confirmed. “They all performed phenomenally.” Amber Ramundo