Before sunrise Friday morning, members of the Hometown Police Department climbed onto the roof of Dunkin’ in Oak Lawn, waving to commuters and collecting donations as part of the 23rd annual Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser benefiting Special Olympics Illinois athletes.
From 5 a.m. until noon May 15, officers greeted customers in the drive-thru and parking lot while community members dropped cash into donation buckets to support the statewide Law Enforcement Torch Run campaign.
The event, held at more than 170 Dunkin’ locations throughout Illinois, has raised more than $11.1 million over its 23-year history for Special Olympics Illinois programming and athletes.
For the Hometown Police Department, the fundraiser has become an annual tradition centered as much on community connection as fundraising. Last year marked the department’s third year participating in Cop on a Rooftop and fourth year as a Law Enforcement Torch Run department, with officers raising more than $50,000 overall through various Special Olympics fundraisers.
Commander Nathan Haubenreiser said the event continued to give officers a chance to engage with residents outside of normal police calls.
“I like this event because it allows our officers to interact with the public in a positive way,” Haubenreiser previously said about the fundraiser.
Drivers honked in support as officers waved from the rooftop and sidewalks below. Families stopped for coffee and donuts while children posed for photos near squad cars parked outside the business.
The fundraiser also served as a kickoff to the department’s yearly Special Olympics fundraising efforts, which include events such as the Polar Plunge, motorcycle raffles and other Torch Run campaigns. Last year, Haubenreiser said the department ranked among the top fundraising agencies statewide despite serving a small community.
Across Illinois, thousands of law enforcement officers participated in the annual rooftop fundraiser Friday morning, raising awareness and money for athletes with intellectual disabilities through the statewide Torch Run initiative.