SAN DIEGO -- A triathlon was held on Saturday to raise money for underprivileged children as well as help honor a slain San Diego police officer.

"We bring law enforcement and youth together today to build safer communities tomorrow," said Chandani Flinn, the executive director of Star-Pal, the group that organized the "Tryin' Harder 4 Kids" triathlon at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla.

Flinn who heads Star-Pal, said the group makes life better for underprivileged children in San Diego County.

"The funds that are raised at 'Tryin Harder 4 Kids' help us provide critical programming to these inner-city kids," said Flinn.

Forty-five men and women, who were primarily police officers and firefighters, participated in the triathlon.

In addition to the Star-Pal program, money raised will go to the San Diego Police Officers Memorial Fund to pay for members of San Diego police Officer Jeremy Henwood's squad to travel to Washington, DC later this year to see Henwood's name added to the Peace Officer's National Memorial wall.

Henwood, a four-year member of the SDPD and a Marine reservist, was fatally shot while sitting in his patrol car at a City Heights intersection in August.

SDPD Assistant Chief Shelley Zimmerman participated alongside the officers and firefighters in the triathlon.

"They're happy to be here in order to raise funds for these two great programs," she said.

The good causes were likely the main reason everyone was there, but Zimmerman said she was also in it to win it.

"We're very competitive and there's definitely been some trash talking going on here today, but that's all in good fun," she said.

A donor paid for shirts for members of Henwood's squad, all who came directly to the triathlon after working the graveyard shift.

San Diego police Officer Brent Devore was a close friend of Henwood.

"[It's] kind of a way to pull us all together… make us more of a team than ever," said Devore.