2003 Torch Run Photo Contest
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First prize in the "Officers with Special Olympics Athletes" category, by Northern California Torch Run, Pleasant Hill, California, USA. |
For the third year, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) hosted a Law Enforcement Torch Run photography contest. Hundreds of entries were received from around the world, all painting a moving picture of officers interacting with Special Olympics athletes in their communities.
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The first place winner of the "Guardian of the Flame category" by the Dothan Police Department in Dothan, Alabama, USA. |
The judging took place at the IACP headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia USA on 12 September 2003. Timothy P. Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics; Dan Rosenblatt, President and CEO of the IACP; and Frankie Dashnaw, Special Olympics Virginia athlete were among the individuals faced with the difficult task of judging the entries.
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Second place in the "Officers with Special Olympics Athletes" category, by the Illinois Torch Run in Normal, Illinois, USA. |
Joining them were Paul Santiago, Vice President of International Affairs, IACP; Vincent Talucci, Project Director, Volunteers in Police Service Program, IACP; Elisa Cohen, Marketing Manager, IACP; Heather Mathews, Law Enforcement Torch Run Specialist, Special Olympics; and Diana Roday Hosford, Visual Communications Manager, Special Olympics.
"This annual contest gives visual representation to the rewarding experiences that law enforcement around the world are enjoying by participating," said Cohen. "This endeavor gives law enforcement personnel worldwide the opportunity to connect with people in their community who are often neglected, looked down upon or pushed aside.
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Winner of second prize in the "Guardian of the Flame category" by Special Olympics Virginia, in Richmond, Virginia, USA. |
"For decades law enforcement officers have been raising funds to help their local Special Olympics athletes fully participate and enjoy the events. What started as a relay run with the Special Olympics torch, in a small town in Kansas, has ballooned to the largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics."
Photographs could be submitted in either of the following two categories:
- Law enforcement as the guardians of the flame - personnel carrying the torch, interacting with communities, raising funds and awareness of the events, etc.
- Law enforcement in support of the Special Olympics athletes themselves - personnel in interaction with athlete(s)
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The third place winner in the "Officers with Special Olympics Athletes" category, by the Texas Torch Run in Austin, Texas, USA. |
The winner of the "Guardian of the Flame category" was the Dothan Police Department in Dothan, Alabama, USA. Special Olympics Virginia, in Richmond, Virginia, USA won second place. Rounding out the winners, third place was awarded to the U.S. Capitol Police of Washington, DC, USA.
The top prize in the "Officers with Special Olympics Athletes" category goes to the Northern California Torch Run, Pleasant Hill, California. Second place went to the Illinois Torch Run in Normal, Illinois, USA. The Texas Torch Run in Austin, Texas, USA took third place.
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Third prize in the "Guardian of the Flame category" went to the U.S. Capitol Police of Washington, DC, USA. |
The winning photos were on display at the IACP Conference in Philadelphia 21-25 October and will be on display at the Law Enforcement Torch Run International Conference in San Francisco, 20-23 November. They will also be printed in IACP's Police Chief magazine and Spirit magazine, the quarterly publication of Special Olympics.
Congratulations to all of the winners! For details on how you can submit a photo for next year's conference, please contact your Torch Run representative.
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