Sep 6, 2007

Any time of year, a Yankees/Red Sox showdown at Fenway Park is a special event and that’s even more so when it’s September and the pennant race is in full swing.

However, for reasons outside the lines on the field, the game on Sept. 14 will have special significance for one of Greenwich’s newest police officers. Patrol Officer Robert Ferretti will be one of about 100 law enforcement officers from all over the country to participate in a 250-mile bicycle trip from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., to Fenway Park in Boston, Mass., to show support and raise funds for those who were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The 9/11 “Tour de Force” Memorial Bike Ride was started in 2002 as a tribute to the police officers, firemen and civilians who were killed in the attacks and has now turned into an annual fund-raising event, raising money for the families of police officers killed in the line of duty. Donations are being sought for Tour de Force, which is a non-profit organization, and Officer Ferretti will be sponsored in his trip by the Silver Shield Association, which serves as the union for Greenwich police officers.

The trip will take its participants from the Bronx, N.Y., and through Manhattan and Queens, into Long Island, N.Y. After taking a ferry, the riders will go through Connecticut and all the way into Massachusetts ending up in Boston and in the stands for the Sept. 14 game at Fenway Park, where the officers are expected to make up a vocal cheering section for the Yankees.

While this is the first time Officer Ferretti is participating as a representative of the Greenwich Police Department (GPD),  it’s not his first time hopping on his bicycle for a long ride. In a previous trip, he traveled from ground zero, where the World Trade Center once stood in Manhattan, to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., representing the Port Chester Police Department from Port Chester, N.Y. In fact, Officer Ferretti was a 22-1/2-year veteran of the Port Chester department before he retired last year as a lieutenant. But instead of entering the private sector or enjoying some well-earned time off, Officer Ferretti decided to start serving a neighboring community, entering the GPD at an entry-level patrol officer position.

“I love being a police officer,” Officer Ferretti said. “There’s nothing in the private sector that could either give me the same sense of pride in my work or the same job security. This was a great opportunity to start fresh.”

This is Officer Ferretti’s third bicycle trip with his fellow officers. He said when he first became involved, it was because he thought the ride was an unusual way to raise money.

“I’ve been bicycling for 10 years, but I had never done anything like this before then,” Officer Ferretti told the Post. “This just seemed like a great opportunity to take a couple of days to ride a bike and raise money for a great cause. I remember when I first said I was going to do this and my brother asked me why I was going to be doing this on a bicycle when I had a perfectly good Harley Davidson in the garage. It’s a great physical challenge and it’s a first-rate cause.”

Preparation for a 250-mile bicycle trip is not something to be taken lightly. You can’t just hop on a bike after sitting around for a year and expect to be ready to go. But Officer Ferretti said he doesn’t take any special measures for preparation other than riding around town and in Westchester County, N.Y.

“There are a lot of rolling hills around here that really help you get ready,” Officer Ferretti said. “The 100-mile-a-day pace is challenging to maintain, but I’ve never had any problem making it. It’s not a race. That’s the key thing to remember. You’re not competing with the other riders. You’re riding with them and it’s a lot of fun. I’ve been able to meet officers from all over the country by doing this.”

The change in destination was done in order to mix things up for the race, according to Officer Ferretti. And once the group was able to get tickets for the Sept. 14 game, which is the first of the three weekend games the Yankees will play with the Red Sox, that cinched the deal. Officer Ferretti said a lot of the officers participating are Yankee fans and are looking forward to getting to the game. But this is not just a pleasure trip. The goal is to raise money for the fund.

“We’re really helping our fellow officers by doing this,” Officer Ferretti said. “Hopefully none of us will ever need this assistance, but it’s good to know it’s there if you need it.”

Officer Ferretti, who is the lone Greenwich representative in the ride, is still in training to begin work as a GPD officer after joining the department this past June. Despite being new to the department, Officer Ferretti said there has been nothing but support from his fellow Greenwich officers. He thanked the command for supporting him and the union for sponsoring him.

Thomas Keegan, a retired GPD sergeant and the current director of special events for the Silver Shield Association, said it was an easy decision for the union to sponsor Officer Ferretti’s ride.

“We applaud the efforts of Officer Ferretti,” Mr. Keegan said. “We’re very proud to be a part of the 9/11 memorial bike ride and we wish Officer Ferretti and his brother and sister riders a safe journey.”

Officer Ferretti is still looking for support. For information, visit Tourdeforceny.com. Both corporate and individual donations are being sought for officers killed in the line of duty and their families.

kborsuk@greenwich-post.com

© Copyright 2007 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers