Colleen Schultz might not be a police officer, but that doesn’t stop her from honoring fallen officers — including her son.

“There’s a lot of people here,” Schultz said. “I love that he’s still remembered, but it’s overwhelming all at once. It’s kind of a whole ball of emotions all wrapped in one.”

Colleen Schultz’s son, Nickolaus Schultz, was the first Merrillville officer to be killed in the line of duty. Nickolaus Schultz died in September 2014 at 24 years old, when he was shot while responding to a call involving an evicted man who had moved back into a condominium, according to Post-Tribune archives.

Nickolaus was the first officer in the family, Colleen Schultz said.

“We don’t really have any police background,” Schultz said. “He just decided he wanted to be a police officer and went into law enforcement after college.”

She’s been riding in the Indiana State Police’s Cops Cycling for Survivors since about 2015.

The Cops Cycling for Survivors event is in its 24th year, according to a state police news release. Participants bike throughout the state of Indiana, supporting the families of fallen police officers and encouraging people not to forget their service and sacrifice.The Indiana State Police is honoring four officers who died in the line of duty in 2024: Hendricks County Deputy Sheriff Fred Fislar, Newton County Sheriff’s Corporal Brandon Schreiber, Department of Correction Lt. Donald Neiswinger and Department of Correction Officer Shawn Burnell.

Cyclists started on July 7 in Plainfield and headed to Terre Haute. In total, the ride is about 1,000 miles throughout the state.

On Wednesday, they stopped in Merrillville before leaving for South Bend on Thursday. About 20 participants did a ceremony at the Merrillville Police Department to pay homage to fallen officers before leaving for a hotel for the night.

Schultz is participating in five days of the ride, ending on Friday in Angola.

“I can’t do the southern hills,” she said. “Five or six days is the most I usually do.”

Through the ride, Schultz said she’s met a lot of other survivors and keeps in touch with cyclists throughout the year.

“It’s good to tell them stories about Nick,” Schultz said. “They get to know who he was and get to hear stories about the officers who were killed in the line of duty before and after him.”

Valparaiso Police Department Officer Sean Liesenfelt also participated in Cops Cycling for Survivors this year. Liesenfelt said this was the first time in seven years that he’s participated in the event.

The officer is participating in three days of the event, and he’s going more than 100 miles.

It’s important for Liesenfelt to participate and remember fallen officers and their families, he said. Nickolaus Schultz’s funeral was one of the first Liesenfelt went to, he added.

“I’ve been in this position for about 10 years now, and I’ve been to too many funerals, unfortunately,” Liesenfelt said. “It kind of sets the tone when you see people who have an emotional tie to these people and the support and love they get.”

Through Cops Cycling for Survivors, Liesenfelt has created relationships with survivors of fallen officers, and he said it’s been important for them to share memories and stories.

“Whether or not they’re law enforcement officers, there’s just a feeling of happiness and joy seeing all the people come together and make sure these officers are remembered,” Liesenfelt said.

“It’s a whirlwind of emotions because there’s sadness, but also joy that comes out of this.”

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com