Law enforcement agencies here in northwest Louisiana are kicking off the 2014 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Louisiana.

The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. Friday, May 16, 2014, on the Milam Street side of the Caddo Parish Courthouse.

The annual run raises money for Special Olympics Louisiana and helps promote this year's Summer Games, taking place at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond May 23-25.

Our NWLA contingent will carry the Special Olympics torch from here to runners at other law enforcement agencies all along the route, until it reaches its final destination in time for the start of the state games.

Before the ceremony begins, two groups of law enforcement runners will arrive at the courthouse from separate locations. Caddo runners will start at Caddo Correctional Center at 8 a.m., head east on Hearne, south on North Market into downtown Shreveport. Bossier runners start at the Bossier Civic Center, head west on POW-MIA Boulevard, north on Benton Road and west on East Texas Street to meet up with the Caddo group.

Both groups will gather with Special Olympians and local dignitaries for tomorrow morning's ceremony. It will feature the reading of a joint proclamation from Bossier City Mayor Lorenz Walker and Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover.

Following the ceremony, the runners will continue the run from the courthouse east on Texas Avenue, south on South Market Street and down Youree Drive (Highway 1) to the Relay Station on Highway 1 South.

The torch run will resume from the Relay Station Tuesday, May 20 at 7 a.m. as the torch run’s Northwest Louisiana leg makes its way to the Summer Games in Hammond.

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