Today members from Bendigo Police Station will take part in the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) as part of the Special Olympics National Games.  

The LETR is a worldwide movement in which police officers and Special Olympics athletes run the Flame of Hope to the opening ceremony of local Special Olympics competitions.   

The LETR has existed globally since 1981and the main purpose of the event is to raise awareness of the Special Olympics movement and athlete participation.    

This month Victoria is proudly hosting the 2014 Special Olympics National, an event that will see 1300 athletes from around the country descend on Melbourne for a week of competition, starting on Monday.   

The torch possession will travel though regional centres including Bendigo as the flame makes its way to the opening ceremony in Melbourne.  

Police members and athletes will run together as a group. The torch is passed around so that each participant has an opportunity to run at the front and lead the group.  

The Flame of Hope will be delivered to Police Superintendent Mick West and Special Olympics athlete Zac Flint, who together will light the cauldron.  

I will join members from Bendigo Police Station in the run.  

Next week is the Victoria WorkCover Authority Health and Safety Week.  

Across Western Region, Division 5 police will be participating in a variety of events during their Health, Safety and Wellbeing Day on Wednesday. Police at Bendigo will be provided with a healthy lunch, which will not  include doughnuts. There will be lectures on healt- related topics and police members will be walking with children to their schools as part of Walk to School month.  

A group booking has been made at the Bendigo Blood Donor Centre and members will walk from the police station to the centre.  

There will be foot and bicycle patrols, which will be ongoing over the next few months.  

Members will also be able to attend fitness testing sessions and specialists from our welfare services will be available at the station.   

Members from the Heathcote Police Station will be attending the launch of the Heathcote Healthy Workplaces Cluster.  

The cluster is a group of local businesses committed to improving the health and wellbeing of employees in the Heathcote area and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices in the wider community. 

The occupational health and safety of our members is paramount and the health, safety and wellbeing day is a way of raising awareness not only among our members but across the broader community.