Fort Myers Police Cops & Joggers 5k lights up downtown Fort Myers

LIKE FOR THE BEGINNING OF OUR WORK WEEK. >> RAFAEL, SEE YOU IT IS THE ONE TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU CAN RUN AWAY FROM THE POLICE AND NOT GO TO JAIL. ANNUAL COPS AND JOGGERS 5 K GET STARTED IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. RIGHT? RUNNERS ARE LACING UP THEIR SHOES TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE COMMUNITY. FOR THAT WE GO TO ABC SEVEN'S MUHAMMAD UP TO A CALL. WHO'S LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS FOR THE 17TH ANNUAL RACE. MUHAMMAD. >> HOW'S IT LOOKING OUT THERE? >> ALEX JURY IS PACKED RIGHT HERE ARE LONG EDWARDS DRIVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF CENTENNIAL PARK WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE RIGHT NOW. WANT TO DO 3.60, SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. THERE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. YOU LOOK AT WORDS DRIVE IS BLOCKED OFF RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THIS EVENT AND PEOPLE ARE DRIVING HERE EVERY SINGLE MINUTE GETTING READY FOR THE START OF COPS IN THE JOGGERS. 5 WE GOT MUSIC VENDORS, EVEN A BOUNCE HOUSE ALL THAT GOES TO A GOOD CAUSE FOR FALLEN OFFICERS LIKE ADAMS MILLER WHO LOST HIS LIFE IN THE LINE OF DUTY BACK IN 2018, ITS ANNUAL THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE BACK IN OCTOBER WAS PUSHED BACK TODAY BECAUSE OF HURRICANE MILTON. WE WERE TOLD OVER 500 AND 50 RUNNERS SIGN UP TO THE RUN. AND THAT NUMBER EXPECTED TO GROW THIS EVENT IS NOT ONLY A FUN EVENT FOR FAMILIES, BUT ALSO FOR A GOOD CAUSE. ALL THE MONEY RAISED WILL GO TOWARDS FAMILIES OF THE FALLEN OFFICERS FOR THE DEPARTMENT. >> SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR SWAT PEOPLE HERE. WE HAVE ALL OUR VENDORS ARE A GREAT VENDORS THAT HELP US AND PARTICIPATE AND PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER. IT'S JUST REALLY IT'S LIKE IT'S LIKE ONE BIG. >> FAMILY. FUN NIGHT. YEAH, EVERYONE WE'VE EVER TALKED TO SAID THEY LOVE IT. THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THE BRIDGE FILLED UP WITH POLICE LIGHTS LIKE THAT. TOUGH DIFFERENT EVENT. >> IN ABOUT AN HOUR, RUNNERS WILL RUN ACROSS THE EDISON BRIDGE TO FORT MYERS, NORTH FORT MYERS, RATHER, AND THEN RUN BACK TO FORT MYERS. IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW AND WANT TO PARTICIPATE, YOU'LL HAVE UNTIL 7.40, TO SIGN UP AGAIN, A PORTION OF EDWARDS DRIVE IS CLOSED WE'LL LET YOU KNOW ANY MORE CLOSURES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. BUT FOR NOW REPORTING LIVE I

Fort Myers Police Department hosted their annual Cops & Joggers 5k event in downtown Fort Myers Saturday night.The event was supposed to take place in October but was rescheduled to January due to Hurricane Milton.The event featured live music, various vendors, and a bounce house for kids. Families also had the chance to meet police officers up close as well as K9s. Cops & Joggers isn't only a fun event for families, it's also for a good purpose. All of the money raised from the event goes to the Fallen Officers Memorial Fund and Brotherhood Ride.The race first started in 2008 to assist the family of Officer Andrew Widman who was shot and killed in the line of duty on July 18, 2008. Ten years later Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller was killed in the line of duty on July 21, 2018, and died from his injuries on July 28, 2018."It gives us an opportunity to interact with, you know, with the community that we serve, we have our SWAT people here. We have all our vendors, our great vendors that help us and participate and put this all together. It's like one big family fun night," Captain Roger Valdiva told ABC7.Over 550 runners signed up to participate in the event despite the chilly weather."Everyone we've ever talked to said they love it. They have never seen the bridge filled up with police lights like that and it's just a different event," said Detective Mary Hughes."I work in the county, so I kind of work behind the scenes. So I can tell you I'll be running as hard as I can, you know just to support and show up for these people who have fallen," said Kenneth Perez who signed up to run.Fort Myers Police Department was pleased with Saturday's turnout and hopes the annual event continues to grow even bigger.

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

Fort Myers Police Department hosted their annual Cops & Joggers 5k event in downtown Fort Myers Saturday night.

The event was supposed to take place in October but was rescheduled to January due to Hurricane Milton.

The event featured live music, various vendors, and a bounce house for kids. Families also had the chance to meet police officers up close as well as K9s. Cops & Joggers isn't only a fun event for families, it's also for a good purpose. All of the money raised from the event goes to the Fallen Officers Memorial Fund and Brotherhood Ride.

The race first started in 2008 to assist the family of Officer Andrew Widman who was shot and killed in the line of duty on July 18, 2008. Ten years later Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller was killed in the line of duty on July 21, 2018, and died from his injuries on July 28, 2018.

"It gives us an opportunity to interact with, you know, with the community that we serve, we have our SWAT people here. We have all our vendors, our great vendors that help us and participate and put this all together. It's like one big family fun night," Captain Roger Valdiva told ABC7.

Over 550 runners signed up to participate in the event despite the chilly weather.

"Everyone we've ever talked to said they love it. They have never seen the bridge filled up with police lights like that and it's just a different event," said Detective Mary Hughes.

"I work in the county, so I kind of work behind the scenes. So I can tell you I'll be running as hard as I can, you know just to support and show up for these people who have fallen," said Kenneth Perez who signed up to run.

Fort Myers Police Department was pleased with Saturday's turnout and hopes the annual event continues to grow even bigger.

Fort Myers Police Cops & Joggers 5k lights up downtown Fort Myers

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