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SALT LAKE CITY — Charles and Kathleen Skinner wandered through the rows of flags posted Sunday outside the state Capitol, searching for the one flying in remembrance of their son.
There were 133 flags in all, each one with an accompanying photo of a Utah law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.
It took about five minutes for the Skinners to find the flag they were looking for.
On Nov. 8, 2008, Charles B. Skinner — "Charlie" to his family and friends — died of injuries sustained in an auto accident five days earlier. The North Salt Lake police officer was pursuing a stolen vehicle on U.S. 89 when he lost control of his patrol car on a slick patch of road near 2300 South.
Skinner's vehicle collided with the concrete base of a business sign. He sustained severe head injuries that resulted in his death. Skinner, who was 30, left behind a wife and 3-week-old twins.
"We're here to tell him we love him," his stepmother, Kathleen Skinner, said, "and he'll never be forgotten."
The Skinners were joined at the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial on Sunday by more than 2,000 others — many of whom started their day at Timpanogos Harley-Davidson in Lindon.
A few thousand motorcyclists made their way from Lindon to Salt Lake City as part of the fifth annual Ride for Fallen Officers. Bikers paid $25 and passengers $10 to ride in the event, a fundraiser for the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial.
With money raised, the organization maintains the memorial and helps provide for fallen officers' families, said Clarke Christensen, president the group's board of directors.
It's also a chance to pay tribute to those who have given their lives to protect their fellow Utahns, Christensen said.
"It's important to remember that there's a price for the freedom and peace we enjoy from day to day," he said.
Lynette Gurr has taken part in the Ride for Fallen Officers since its beginning in 2007. Her husband, Cecil Gurr, was chief of the Roosevelt Police Department when he was shot and killed at a convenience store in Ballard on July 6, 2001.
Chief Gurr and other officers were trying to prevent a man from driving away with a female acquaintance the man reportedly had forced into his truck. The man fired at officers with an assault rifle. Gurr was struck in the head and died instantly. He was 50.
Lynette Gurr said about 800 people showed up for the first ride. Since then, it has grown every year, she said.
"I was so overwhelmed with the support that everyone gave us," she said. "I have been so pleased with the way this has developed. Every year, it gets bigger and bigger, and it's become a very exciting thing for me to come to."
Lynette Gurr calls the ride a "healing event," a time when surviving families can get together and support each other — and get help when they need it.
"Having the financial support and camaraderie of officers can't be understated," she said. "It's just such a help for all of us who have needed that."
Motorcyclists received a police escort all the way to the Capitol — traveling most of the route on State Street.
At the Capitol, family members shared stories about their fallen loved ones, and the officers were honored with a 21-gun salute.
"We're just amazed and so thankful that so many people are supporting law enforcement," said Jessica Orr, whose father, Kevin Orr, was killed during a search- and-rescue operation with the Uintah County Sheriff's Office on Nov. 22, 2006.
For more information about the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial, visit www.utahsfallen.org.
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Written by Jared Page with contributions from Sandra Yi.
