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OGDEN — Some future police officers in Utah have to pay their own way through the academy in order to become police certified. Tighter budgets means cities aren't able to pay those costs as they used to.
A benefit was held Saturday to help raise money for those future officers, and to remember one officer recently killed in the line of duty.
The second annual Cops and Robbers Challenge took place at Pioneer Stadium in Ogden. Contestants donated $30 each to participate in the 5K run and obstacle course.
The money raised goes to help put future officers through police academy.
"This is just a small thing I can do to show my support for the police department of Ogden," said Ogden resident Alma Palmer.
For Erin Francom, that support means everything. Her husband, Ogden police officer Jared Francom was shot to death during a raid on a suspected drug house a year and a half ago.
She hoped Saturday's event would bring in enough money to send at least one future officer through the police academy.
Related:
Slain officer Francom remembered as devoted father; thousands attend funeral
Remembering him as a man who was devoted to his family, his job and the Dallas Cowboys, friends, family members and hundreds of law enforcement officers from across Utah and the U.S. said goodbye Wednesday to Ogden police officer Jared Daniel Francom."It just means a lot to have the community be so supportive, especially for law enforcement officers; because it's not every day you get to see stuff like that," she said.
The event often brings smiles and laughs, but also tears .
"I know we don't talk about it, but for a lot of people it's still fresh in their minds," said Ogden police detective Nicholas Poorte.
Poorte knew Jared Francom well.
"Jared and I worked out together for a couple of years, and every shift we started we always started working out together," he said.
That led to them being close friends. After Jared's death, Poorte helped to organize the Cops and Robbers event to honor his friend's memory.
Other officers said with the brotherhood of police officers, it's just comforting to know that if something happened to them they will be remembered as well.
Jared Francom's name will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., next month. There, he' join the names of 362 officers from across the United States who died in the line of duty.
