By: RIVERSIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT on May 5, 2017
Original Article: FACEBOOK.COM
New Saleen S302 Mustang RPOA Memorial Vehicle
The Riverside Police Officers’ Association Assistance Fund is pleased to announce our recent partnership with several prominent businesses in the Inland Empire. With the help of our partners, we were able to create a memorial vehicle to increase awareness of the Law Enforcement members killed in the line of duty and to celebrate their lives.
Without the right team to bring it together, the concept of the memorial car had previously been little more than a lofty goal and one that would take a significant investment in time and resources.
But then in early 2016, Steve Saleen, owner of Saleen Automotive headquartered in the city of Corona, approached RPOA with the idea of creating a Model S302 Saleen Mustang as the memorial car. Steve started working with his partners in the racing community to move the project from concept to reality. Saleen Automotive personnel donated their time and expertise over the next year to design and outfit a base model 2016 Ford Mustang, which was provided by Fritts Ford of Riverside.
A Riverside based business, West Coast Lights and Sirens, immediately offered to assist with the project. Danny Gonzalez, in cooperation with Federal Lights and Sirens who donated their equipment to the project, installed the equipment and wiring for the car.
The memorial car continues to be a work in progress. It was recently back at Saleen Automotive for the next phase of the project. The goal has always been for the car to be completed for a public unveiling at the 2017 Riverside County Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony on Monday, May 22, 2017.
The memorial car is intended to raise awareness of the risks faced everyday by the men and women who wear the police uniform, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. With awareness comes the financial assistance for those injured or killed in the line of duty.
The Riverside Police Officers’ Association Assistance Fund is a 501(c)3 charity that was created in 2011. It is a separate entity from the RPOA and is governed by a 5-person board of directors. Its goals are to provide financial assistance to law enforcement officers injured or killed on duty, to promote youth programs, and to support the elderly and veterans in the Riverside community.
On Friday, May 5, 2017, at 9:00 a.m., the memorial car will be taken to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Emergency Vehicle Operations Center (EVOC) for testing by Steve Saleen and other professional drivers. All news media are welcome to attend. The EVOC location is at 18901 Institution Road, San Bernardino, CA 92407. Any media inquiries should be directed to rpoamail@sbcglobal.net.
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[SOURCE: Riverside Police Department]
