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LAS VEGAS — Typically they run for camaraderie, bonding and fun.
But this year, Utah police officers who participated in the annual Baker to Vegas competition ran with a more specific purpose: to honor fallen Unified police officer Doug Barney.
"It made it more important knowing that we were running for a specific purpose this year," said Salt Lake Police Sgt. Robin Heiden.
For the 18th consecutive year, a group of 20 officers from the Salt Lake Police Department, Unified Police Department and Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office put together a relay team to run from Baker, California, to Las Vegas. This year's race began on Saturday. The Utah team finished just before 5 a.m. Sunday, completing the race in just under 19 hours.
The 120-mile run has 20 legs with an elevation change of approximately 6,600 feet. A total of 270 law enforcement teams from across the nation participated in this year's event.
In the past, it's been a great bonding experience for officers who work in different agencies, Heiden said. This year, however, the runners decided the day after Barney was killed that they would dedicate this year's campaign to him.
Barney, an 18-year veteran, was shot and killed in the line of duty on Jan. 17.
For this year's race, Utah runners placed photos of Barney on all of their running bibs as well as the support vehicles that follow the runners.
"I think it made everybody just feel more pride as they ran because we had logos on the sides of our vans with his picture, and 'End of Watch, Doug Barney, 1-17-2016,'" Heiden said.
