SALT LAKE CITY — In a procession estimated to be seven miles long, thousands of motorcycle riders joined local law enforcement Sunday for the 9th annual Utah Law Enforcement Memorial Ride for Fallen Officers.
The ride started at Timpanogos Harley Davidson and ended at the Utah Fallen Officer's Memorial at the State Capitol.
Shante Johnson, the widow of Draper Police Sgt. Derek Johnson who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sept. 1, 2013, addressed those who participated in the ride, thanking them for their support since her husband's death.
"You are how we get through," she said with her voice shaking. "You make their sacrifice not forgotten. And as a surviving family member, there's no greater honor than to know that when my husband strapped on his badge that day and he pulled over to help somebody and they took his life, that you haven't forgotten and you know how dangerous their jobs are. And they do it every single day. And I know, because I lived with it, they don't think about it. They don't think twice. It's just what they do."
Johnson said it has only been recently that she has started to "come out of the fog" of her husband's death.
Bensen Johnson wore his father's badge around his neck during Sunday's ceremony and a blue ribbon pinned to his shirt. Shante Johnson recalled several memories of her son and late husband's time together, including one month before his death when the two went camping in the backyard because they couldn't find the time to go to the mountains. And in a joking but loving way recalled how her husband and Bensen would sneak away to get ice cream just one hour before dinner, something that didn't go over well with her.
Johnson said her husband was one of the 137 "humble heroes" who have paid the ultimate price in Utah while protecting and serving the public.
At the end of the ceremony, Bensen helped release a dozen doves into the air.
Hundreds sought shelter from the hot sun under shady trees or the rows of American flags set up in remembrance of the fallen officers as they listened to Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes thank law enforcement members.
Reyes recognized that the approval rating of law enforcement nationwide was currently at an all-time low. But he said law enforcement officers know what kind of character they have, and "character is infinitely more important than reputation."
"People often judge us from the outside. For those of you who ride, I think people have some preconceived notions about who you are because you're on a bike, because maybe you were a (vest) or a bandana. ... I and others are standing up and doing everything we can to represent law enforcement and make sure you have a voice and to tell the public that these are heroes in law enforcement. And while we may have some issues and some knuckleheads in law enforcement, that does not represent the entire body," Reyes said.
Reyes said he was pleased to say that no new names were added to the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial this year.
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