GLOUCESTER COUNTY, Va. - More than 80 cars and motorcycles lined the parking lot of a local Gloucester County restaurant gearing up to drive 14 miles in honor of State Trooper Chad Dermyer.
Middle Peninsula Classic Cruisers organized the “Cruise for the Blue” charity ride.
“To show support,” said cruisers’ member Joyce Webb. “Our police department is losing respect over the entire nation and it has to stop.”
Trooper Dermyer was shot and killed at a Richmond bus station back in March.
Cruisers' member Mike Bousquet says he didn't know Dermyer personally, but a brief encounter left a lasting impression.
“I met him before at an automobile accident about a year or so ago,” Bousquet said. “[He was a] very professional trooper and I was impressed.”
Donations collected during the ride will benefit Trooper Dermyer`s wife and two kids.
A few miles down the road in Suffolk, the Holland Athletic Association honored the 37-year-old with a baseball tournament.
“We just wanna make it aware that the kids out here today still support law enforcement,” Joseph Hopko, an Isle of Wight deputy sheriff, said.
Ten teams came to play, all sporting special shirts honoring Dermyer.
Dermyer's fellow troopers watched from the sidelines.
Organizers hope these events help to remind law enforcement officers that they are supported by the people they serve and protect.
If you would like to donate to Dermyer’s family, contributions can be mailed to:
Virginia State Police Association
6944 Forest Hill Avenue
Richmond, VA 23225
Reference Dermyer in the memo section
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