About 100 run in annual police fundraiser

A large police presence could be seen in Prentis Park Thursday evening. The officers weren’t there for a call, however, but to run in the fourth Annual Run with the Cops 5K.

Founded in 2012 by Vermillion Police Department officers David Kyte and Jon Cole, Run with the Cops raises money for the Vermillion Fraternal Order of Police charity organization. The run was originally named Run from the Cops. This year, however, organizers decided to change the name.

Due to national headlines regarding police brutality and tension between law enforcement and communities, the event’s name was changed in order to promote unity between police and community members, said Kyte.

“This event is just a fun way for us to interact with the public,” Kyte said.

Originally, during Run From the Cops, citizens would have an orange colored shirt to mimic an inmate and officers had blue.  The “inmates” would have a flag football streamer and if an officer grabbed the streamer, the civilian would finish the race and then go to a makeshift jail.  In order to get out of jail, the runners had to pay an extra $5.

This year, about 100 civilians and police officers wore the same shirts and ran the race together.