Rio Rancho officers join Special Olympics Torch Run for inclusion

Rio Rancho and Bernalillo officers took part in the Special Olympics Torch Run, linking Sandoval County law enforcement to a 1,600-mile relay that ended at Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza on May 29. The run was not just a ceremonial jog. Special Olympics New Mexico says the Law Enforcement Torch Run is meant to raise awareness and funds for athletes, families and the wider Special Olympics movement.

The statewide relay brought together more than 500 law enforcement personnel from more than 60 federal, military, state, county and local agencies. Special Olympics New Mexico says the route ran from May 18 through May 29 and culminated at the State Summer Games in Albuquerque, where the Flame of Hope was carried into the opening ceremony. The organization says it serves more than 3,700 athletes statewide in 11 Olympic-style sports, giving the torch run a direct link to year-round competition, training and team support.

That local participation mattered in a county where law-enforcement coverage often centers on crashes, arrests or emergency calls. Rio Rancho officers were part of a broader public-facing effort that tied police visibility to inclusion, fundraising and athlete outreach. The New Mexico relay sits inside a larger national and international Torch Run tradition, which Special Olympics says became its largest public awareness and fundraising group after the International Association of Chiefs of Police endorsed it in 1983.

The timing also lined up with one of the state’s biggest Special Olympics weekends. Special Olympics New Mexico’s calendar said the 2026 State Summer Games ran May 29 through May 31 at UNM’s Track and Field Stadium and The Fieldhouse, and KRQE reported the event drew about 1,300 athletes and unified partners from 38 delegations. For Sandoval County families connected to Special Olympics, the relay was a visible reminder that the event is backed by more than slogans. It feeds directly into games, programs and athlete support across New Mexico.

Rio Rancho had already been building local ties to the cause. In May 2024, the Rio Rancho Police Department hosted its first-ever Law Enforcement Torch Run K9 Competition at Rio Rancho High School Stadium, a project Chief Stewart Steele said had been seven years in the works. Special Olympics New Mexico also promoted a Rio Rancho torch-icon campaign in May, with paper torch icons sold at Latitudes Rio Rancho for $1 or more to support athletes.