Murray police detective Rob Hall has been chasing criminals for more than 23 years. But for the past 17 years, his most important running may have been when he put down his baton and picked up the Olympic torch.
Hall has literally run across the United States and Europe as part of the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run. Locally, participation in the state's torch run by fellow officers, and the money raised each year, have grown tremendously since Hall became involved in the administrative aspects of the run more than a decade ago.
But now, Hall is hanging up his badge. And although he isn't ready to take off his running shoes yet, he is loosening the laces.
"When I started there were just a few cops running the torch. If we raised $20,000 to $30,000 we considered that a good year. In 2006, we'll raise upward to $160,000. Between 800 to 900 officers throughout the state participated," he said. "It's unbelievable how police officers have grasped hold. I feel I'm leaving it in good hands."
Hall is retiring this week after 23 years with the Murray Police Department and a short stint at the beginning of his career as a reserve deputy for the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. He has been the face of the Murray Police Department for the past eight years as its media spokesman.
But many also know him as the man who laces up his running shoes every year and encourages officers and reporters alike to run with him and athletes from the Special Olympics as they parade the Olympic torch across the state.
Hall first heard about the Special Olympics torch run in 1989 after he was invited to go to an informal meeting held at Harley's Hamburger.
"Being an avid runner . . . I did the St. George marathon that year . . . it just seemed like a perfect fit for me with my law enforcement career," he said.
Throughout the 1990s, Hall acted as co-director for the torch run and was asked to be the state director in 2001. He also agreed to serve on an executive council that oversaw nine Western states and handled promotion and logistics for torch runs in each of those regions.
Soon Hall found himself organizing torch runs both at home and abroad.
"The highlight of my time with the torch run was running across Europe," he said. "The enthusiasm of people . . . by far Europe was the highlight."
Hall was with the group that year that got to light the torch at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. The three-week trek ended in Dublin, Ireland.
In 2005, Hall again was able to run the torch outside U.S. soil when he led the Special Olympics torch run through Japan for the games in Nagano.
Hall is moving on to a new career with Spillman, a law enforcement technology company that provides software for public safety departments. He steps down from the force this week, has already retired as state director of the torch run and will step down from the executive council at the conclusion of his term at the end of the year.
Despite the excitement of running in Europe, Hall said he received his greatest fulfillment from running the torch in Utah.
"When you're there with local people, local athletes . . . it keeps it fresh in your mind what it's all about," he said. "It's been so rewarding to me to see members of our society with intellectual disabilities, to see them experience the joy of athletic competition, to feel the joy to win and joy of someone telling them they did a good job. To watch people normally not picked first on the team, who don't get a chance in athletics, get to experience what everyone should once or twice in life."
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com