Manchester officers depart on police unity tour honoring fallen colleagues

MANCHESTER, NJ — Members of Manchester PBA 246 have officially begun their journey on the 2025 Police Unity Tour, riding in remembrance of fallen law enforcement officers, including two from their own department.

This year’s tour holds added significance for the Manchester Police Department, as it marks 50 years since the line-of-duty death of Patrolman Robert Tobias and 10 years since the passing of Corporal Scott R. Thompson. Both officers were honored Friday morning during a special ceremony at Manchester Town Hall, where Chief Antonio Ellis unveiled commemorative shadow boxes crafted by retired Cpl. Brian Collins.

The Police Unity Tour, founded in 1997, is a multi-day bicycle ride from New Jersey to Washington, D.C. Its mission is to raise awareness of officers who have died in the line of duty and to support the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum. The tour’s motto is, “We Ride for Those Who Died.”

Manchester officers were joined by family members, fellow law enforcement, and local dignitaries as they set off on the ride. The department expressed pride in their participation and commitment to honoring their fallen colleagues.

Sgt. Joseph Fastige will be sharing updates from the road on the department’s Facebook and Instagram Stories.

Key points

Manchester PBA 246 members are participating in the 2025 Police Unity Tour to honor fallen officers.
This year marks 50 years since the death of Ptl. Robert Tobias and 10 years since Cpl. Scott R. Thompson.
A ceremony at Manchester Town Hall featured commemorative displays and community support.

Officers ride in tribute

The ride symbolizes remembrance and solidarity, connecting departments across the country in a shared mission to honor those lost in the line of duty.

Manchester Police encouraged the public to follow the journey online and remember the sacrifice made by officers like Tobias and Thompson.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.