Front, Sonia DeSantis, widow of slain Woodbine Police Chief Philip DeSantis May 10. Left, Police Unity Tour wends way on Zimmerman Memorial Highway prior to stop for a tribute to the fallen state trooper. Photos by Al Campbell

WOODBINE -- Years pass, yet the memories are eternal for the widow especially when that beloved husband was a police officer, slain in the line of duty. For that reason, a corps of 165 bicycling police officers stopped here May 10 on their way to the nation's capital.

Sonia DeSantis, whose husband Woodbine Police Chief Philip J. DeSantis was killed in 1973. He was the first Cape May County police officer to die in that manner while still serving.
U.S. Marshal James Plousis, a former Woodbine police officer, honored his memory May 10 and 165 bicycling members of the Police Unity Tour ultimately headed for Washington, D.C. and the National Police Memorial.

The caravan of 165 cyclists on racing bikes, wearing blue and white jackets, escorted by motorcycles and an array of other police vehicles from many New Jersey towns, made their first stop in Cape May County on Washington Avenue, here at Becica’s Feed and Seed.

There, N.J. State Police Lt. Mike Parmenter of the Office of Community Affairs had placed a floral wreath with Chief DeSantis’ photograph. His widow sat in front and just to the right of the tribute.

She broke into tears as Tom Donahue, vice president of Chapter 2, Police Unity Tour, Inc., of the state Department of Corrections, delivered a brief eulogy to DeSantis.

Chapter President Detective Ed Musick, of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office presented Mrs. DeSantis with a bouquet of red roses on behalf of the cyclists.

Like many others, Musick spent May 9 on the road, riding 70 miles on bicycles, during a “voluntary day” riding from farther north than the May 10 start in Millville, all to remember slain and fallen police brothers and sisters.

“It was terrible, “said Musick of the day’s ride. A constant downpour throughout day drenched all riders, but their spirits were rekindled along the road as they remembered the ultimate sacrifice their peers had paid, and the reason they were pushing on, mile after aching mile.

In Woodbine, both young and old paid tribute to the officers who gathered briefly here. Six-year-old Samantha Downes of this community waved an American flag and held a sign that proclaimed, “Thank you for you rededication. Stay safe.”

Her uncle, Frank Schalek of Hamilton Township Police Department was one of the riders, and had participated in the tour for the last three years, in memory of Chief DeSantis.

Mary Kone, grandmother of Sgt. Richard Trout an Atlantic County corrections officer, also held a sign thanking all for their dedication.

After a brief rest, the caravan was off to Route 83 to pay similar tributes to the mother, widow and son of State Trooper Bertram Zimmerman.

Undeterred as rain began to fall harder, the officer-cyclists headed down Route 9 to the Cape May County Police Academy where, in a steady rain, Cape May County Chiefs of Police President James Rybicki of the county Prosecutor’s Office, led the ceremony.

Speaking briefly, since the crowd was standing in the rain, was Sen. Jeff Van Drew, Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam (all D-1st) Freeholder vice Director and retired Wildwood police chief Ralph Sheets and Freeholder Gerald Thornton.

Recruits from the police academy then saluted at the granite memorial to remember all fallen county officers, including Sea Isle City Patrolman Michael Cullinane, who died trying to assist a worker.

Floral wreathes where then placed, and present and retired officers saluted in respect.

The Coast Guard honor detail rendered a salute, which was followed by the mournful notes of “Taps.”

Following a brief lunch provided at the nearby fire training grounds, the group headed south to Wildwood Crest and Sunset Lake to honor borough Patrolman Eugene Miglio, then into Lower Township and Douglass Park, near the Cape May -Lewes Ferry to honor Lower Township Patrolman David Douglass.

The tour was to board the 3:30 p.m. southbound ferry for the Delaware Bay crossing, then on to Washington, D.C. where they were to meet up with others who were taking part in the national Police Unity Tour.

See Wednesday's Herald print edition for more photos.