Newport police win category in Baker to Vegas run

This team is starting to get on a run like the Boston Celtics in the 1960s.

For the fifth straight year, and seventh in nine years, the Newport Beach Police Department’s Running Team has won first place in its category for the Baker to Vegas 120-Mile Challenge Cup Relay.

The nearest team in their category, the 150 division, was more than an hour behind Newport Beach’s team, officials said.

More than 252 law enforcement agencies from around the world participated in the 25th annual relay race over the weekend. The foot race began 20 miles outside of Baker on Saturday afternoon and finished in Las Vegas at 6 a.m. Sunday. Newport Beach’s 20 runners, five alternates and 20 support personnel finished the course in 15 hours and 12 minutes. They were first in their division and 24th overall. The teams never take a rest as they traverse through the Mojave Desert’s back roads leading into Las Vegas.

— Joseph Serna