Columbus police canceling fund-raising motorcycle ride

Columbus police are canceling their annual Blue Line motorcycle ride. The ride was scheduled for this Saturday with proceeds to benefit the Columbus/Bartholomew County DARE Program.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department, said the ride was canceled for a lack of manpower. He said the department has several officers in training, with officers stretch to cover shifts on the street, and not enough to safely escort the ride.

This would have been the sixth annual ride, with a planned 85-mile route starting in Edinburgh and ending in Columbus. The ride was previously canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Police thanked the public for supporting the DARE program. Each year, the department spends between $15 and $20,000 dollars from donations and fundraisers for the drug abuse education program, according to police.

The DARE Charity Golf Tournament at Otter Creek Golf Course is coming up on August 5th. To register a team or sponsor a tee sign, you can contact the department at 812-376-2600.