Joliet police planning 21st annual Cop on a Rooftop event

Joliet — The Joliet Police Department will host its annual Cop on a Rooftop event at the “six corners” Dunkin’ Donuts at 800 N. Raynor St. on Friday, May 17.

The Cop on a Rooftop event is a statewide initiative by Dunkin’ and local police departments to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois, with more than 200 locations participating each spring.

While officer volunteers spend their morning from 5 a.m. until noon sitting on the shop rooftops, other police and Special Olympics representatives sell T-shirts, mugs, hats and raffle tickets on the ground to benefit Special Olympics athletes. Customers who make a donation of any size also receive a voucher for a free doughnut.

“The Joliet PD has been taking part in this event since Year 1,” said Joliet Police Department spokesman Sgt. Dwayne English. “This will be our 21st year. We always get a great response in the department from the chief down, and we usually raise between $5,000 and $6,000.”

As the father of a Special Olympics athlete, English, who is the department’s coordinator for Special Olympics events, said the cause is “near and dear to his heart.”

Throughout the day May 17, between 15 and 20 officers are expected to be volunteering at the Dunkin’ location along with Special Olympics athletes – including English’s son – and high school students from the Joliet Explorers Program, who help handle donations.

While the department had chosen to focus its Cop on a Rooftop fundraising efforts on a single location in recent years, the Raynor Street store will not be the only Dunkin’ with law enforcement personnel camped on its roof that day. According to English, the Will County Sheriff’s Police, the Illinois State Police and the Joliet Junior College Campus Police also take part in the program and each select a location throughout the city to partner with.

“Dunkin’ has been a huge sponsor of the Special Olympics for years,” English said. “I can’t even guess how much they’ve raised, it has to be in the millions by now, and we’re happy to partner with them for this event.”