The Santa Barbara Police Department is proud to support Special Olympics of Southern California through the annual Southern California Law Enforcement Torch Run.

At 1:10 p.m. Wednesday, the torch will arrive at Highway 154 and State Street, where it will be passed to members of the Santa Barbara Police Department by members of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. The torch will be carried down State Street to Anapamu Street, where it will turn east and stop at 1100 Santa Barbara St., arriving about 1:50 p.m.

Following brief ceremonies at the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, the Torch Run will return to State Street via East Figueroa Street. It will then turn south toward Cabrillo Boulevard and through Coast Village Road, where it will be passed to members of the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.

Special Olympics athletes and the Santa Barbara County Probation Department will be joining the torch run at State Street and Figueroa Street.

The California Law Enforcement Torch Run involves more than 2,000 officers who proudly carry the Special Olympics Torch more than 500 miles and through more than 150 communities. The officers, representing law enforcement agencies throughout the state, collect donations for their participation at such fundraisers as the yearly Tip-a-Cop program.

In 2012, more than 85,000 law enforcement officers nationwide raised more than $42 million to support community-based sports programs for people with intellectual disabilities.

More than 1,100 athletes from across Southern California will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals at Summer Games this Saturday and Sunday at California State University- Long Beach.

Come out and cheer on the participants and the athletes.

— Lt. James Pfleging is a watch commander for the Santa Barbara Police Department.