2017 Spirit of Special Olympics LETR Officer of the Year

Special Olympics Indiana is pleased to announce that Officer Josh Chapman, of the Zionsville Police Department, is our 2017 Spirit of Special Olympics LETR Officer of the Year.

As the largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics, the Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR) relies on officers and staff from law enforcement agencies around the world to become active in volunteering and raising money for local programs. In Indiana, Officer Chapman has distinguished himself over the past four years as one of the most dedicated and reliable supporters of the Special Olympics movement.

A member of the Recruiting and Planning Committee for the LETR’s Unified Run Across America in 2014, Officer Chapman served as a team captain in his community—helping to raise more than $30,000 and leading the organization of the celebration at the end of the event. He is a regular volunteer at the annual Indiana Summer Games, carrying a torch and assisting in the lighting of the cauldron during Opening Ceremonies each year before spending the weekend staffing the LETR booth in Olympic Town and assisting staff in many ways.

He is actively involved in recruiting his fellow officers in Boone County and throughout central Indiana to join the LETR, and has taken a lead position on many of the organization’s activities and events—including the annual Tip-A-Cop® campaign and the Indianapolis Polar Plunge. For the past three years, he has served as lead officer and/or chairperson for the annual Strikes for Special Olympics Indiana bowling fundraiser, raising more than $50,000 to date.

Officer Chapman is not only a great champion for the Special Olympics movement, he is a tremendous friend to the athletes. He regularly attends sporting events and interacts with the competitors, answering questions about his police work and his involvement in the LETR. When he discovered that a local athlete was in need of a partner for a unified ballroom dance competition this year, Officer Chapman didn’t hesitate to commit to serving as her partner and training with her for the event.

Over the course of the past several years, Officer Chapman has demonstrated his commitment to Special Olympics by his willingness to serve in a variety of roles—whether as a volunteer, a participant, a fundraiser, or a mentor. And through his dedication to helping us change the lives of people with intellectual disabilities in Indiana, he has truly made a difference.