Police Unity Tour rider gets new bicycle thanks to Facebook post

Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read

YARMOUTH — A Yarmouth Police Department Facebook post has helped unite Dara Gannon with a new bicycle.

Gannon lost her Specialized Diverge bicycle a week ago when she was on her way to train for the Police Unity Tour. The bike fell off her car at mile marker 7.2 on Route 25, about 3 miles north of the Bourne Bridge.

By the time she was able to get off the highway and go back to pick it up — the space of about 14 minutes, according to Yarmouth Police Department Chief Frank Frederickson — the bicycle was gone. Frederickson posted the notice with the hope the bicycle would be returned.

The 54 cm 1 model was specifically fitted to Gannon by Jeffrey Craddock at Sea Sports in Hyannis. Models of the Diverge run into the thousands of dollars.

Sea Sports owner Jeff Craddock in the bicycle fitting room at the Hyannis store where bikes are custom-fitted for the rider.
Sea Sports owner Jeff Craddock in the bicycle fitting room at the Hyannis store where bikes are custom-fitted for the rider.

“It wasn’t a Huffy,” Frederickson said, referring to a widely available and moderately priced brand.

But while Gannon's bike wasn’t returned, it has been replaced. The donor wishes to remain anonymous, Frederickson said.

Dara Gannon is the wife of Sgt. Sean Gannon, a K9 officer killed in the line of duty on April 12, 2018, while serving a search warrant in the Town of Barnstable.

From the archives: Dara Gannon rides in honor of husband

She uses the bike to participate in the Police Unity Tour, a ride that raises awareness of law enforcement personnel who have died in the line of duty. Ride participants are required to raise money, which is used to support the families of slain officers, Frederickson said.

Nine chapters and nearly 2,600 members nationwide make the trip annually, according to the tour’s website. More than $33 million has been raised since the tour’s inception in 1997. Gannon was training with the New Bedford Unity Tour group for the ride to Washington, D.C.

Frederickson’s post has been shared 825 times. He said it wasn’t surprising that someone stepped up.

“It shows how many good people there are,” he said.

Contact Denise Coffey at dcoffey@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DeniseCoffeyCCT. 

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Facebook post is a win for Police Unity Tour rider