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Gillespie gets relay started to honor officers

Las Vegas Metro Sheriff Douglas Gillespie, right, leads a group of officers as they begin the memorial relay run at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 24, 2014. Following Gillespie is Nevada Highway Patrol Col. Dennis Osborn. The run honors fallen officers from the past year; this year's run honors three officers from the Southern Nevada area. A total of 126 names are inscribed on the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial at the end of the run in Carson City. (Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Las Vegas Metro Sheriff Douglas Gillespie waits for the ceremonies to begin prior to the beginning of the memorial relay run at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 24, 2014. The run honors fallen officers from the past year; this year's run honors three officers from the Southern Nevada area. A total of 126 names are inscribed on the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial at the end of the run in Carson City. (Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A baton carrying the name of a fallen officer is seen as a brief ceremony begins the memorial relay run at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 24, 2014. The run honors fallen officers from the past year; this year's run honors three officers from the Southern Nevada area. A total of 126 names are inscribed on the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial at the end of the run in Carson City. (Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Las Vegas Metro Sheriff Douglas Gillespie speaks at a brief ceremony to begin the memorial relay run at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 24, 2014. A baton with the name of a fallen officer is in front of Gillespie. The run honors fallen officers from the past year; this year's run honors three officers from the Southern Nevada area. A total of 126 names are inscribed on the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial at the end of the run in Carson City. (Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Las Vegas Metro Sheriff Douglas Gillespie, leading a group of officers, runs through an honor guard as he begins the memorial relay run at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 24, 2014. The run honors fallen officers from the past year; this year's run honors three officers from the Southern Nevada area. A total of 126 names are inscribed on the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial at the end of the run in Carson City. (Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
An honor guard waits for the beginning of a ceremony to begin the memorial relay run at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 24, 2014. The run honors fallen officers from the past year; this year's run honors three officers from the Southern Nevada area. A total of 126 names are inscribed on the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial at the end of the run in Carson City. (Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
An honor guard begins the memorial relay run at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 24, 2014. The run honors fallen officers from the past year; this year's run honors three officers from the Southern Nevada area. A total of 126 names are inscribed on the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial at the end of the run in Carson City. (Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Las Vegas Metro Sheriff Douglas Gillespie leads a group of officers as they begin the memorial relay run at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 24, 2014. The run honors fallen officers from the past year; this year's run honors three officers from the Southern Nevada area. A total of 126 names are inscribed on the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial at the end of the run in Carson City. (Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
April 24, 2014 - 11:18 am
 

Las Vegas Metro Sheriff Douglas Gillespie got the runners started. But he’s not carrying the baton clear to Carson City.

A run to honor fallen officers began with Gillespie in the lead on Thursday morning at the Southern Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial near the Las Vegas police academy at Cheyenne Avenue and Academy Way.

A baton with the name of search and rescue officer David VanBuskirk inscribed on it will pass through 126 pairs of hands over nearly 450 miles to a law enforcement memorial in Carson City. VanBuskirk fell to his death during a mountain rescue nine months ago.

The relay, in its 15th year, is designed to honor fallen law enforcement officers and support current ones. It precedes National Police Memorial Week, May 11-17.

The runners started the first leg of the weeklong relay north on U.S. Highway 95.

The route is divided into 126 legs, one for each fallen officer, with each day’s distance ranging from 45 miles to 82 miles.

Stops will include Pahrump, Scotty’s Junction, Tonopah and Hawthorne.

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