House beats, classic rock, and hip-hop bounced off the pavement outside Dunkin’ at 4833 W. 79th St. before sunrise Friday, as Burbank police officers poured coffee, traded laughs, and made their debut in the statewide Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser.
It wasn’t just a caffeine run. It was a community moment, and a new way for the department to support Special Olympics Illinois.
“We’re aiming to be here from 5 to noon,” said Investigations Commander Jonathan Malacina. “This is our first year doing it, so we got a good showing. We already had an Olympian stop by, so we had some pictures. I forgot who it was, but they’re sending us the picture.”
Cop on a Rooftop is part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, a campaign where officers across Illinois volunteer their time. Some climb rooftops, others work the crowd below, all to raise money for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
While Burbank officers hadn’t taken to the rooftop, yet, Malacina said it was still on the table. “At some point we may. It’s up to them, but we may,” he said. “It’s not as mandatory as it used to be.”
In the past, the department primarily took part in the Polar Plunge, another major fundraiser for Special Olympics. This year, they wanted to try something new.
“We were doing the Polar Plunge before. We just didn’t have an idea about [Cop on a Rooftop],” Malacina said.
Malacina said the fundraiser isn’t just about donations. It’s about showing up for the community.
“I like to get these guys out here interacting with the community. It is very important,” he said. “And Burbank is a very community-oriented police agency.”
With coffee in hand and kids snapping selfies with officers, that connection was clear.
“With everything that’s going on that’s negative, it’s great to see that there’s some positive stuff going on and helping other people,” Malacina said.