Unity Tour

Today more than 30 law enforcement officers from Wisconsin will begin riding bicycles from Philadelphia to the Nation’s Capitol for National Police Week and the annual ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Memorial.  The Unity Ride is a fundraiser for the memorial, but also a way for officers to pay tribute to fallen officers. The Wisconsin contingent are doing it in honor of State Trooper Trevor Casper who was killed in a shoot out with a bank robber in Fond du Lac and McFarland Police Officer Ryan Copeland who died in a traffic accident while on duty. Bill Birkholz helped drive a truck with the bikes and equipment for the ride. His son Fond du Lac Police Officer Craig Birkholz lost his life in a shootout five years ago. He says he just misses talking to him. Trooper Clarissa Justmann was there when Trevor Casper died. She says it’s been a tough year since his death. She says it’s been a heartbreaking year having to overcome losing her partner and best friend and actually having to watch him get killed. She says not a day goes by that she doesn’t think about him. She has happy memories of dancing with him in her kitchen and him picking on her as if she was his sister. She says that’s something she truly misses.