Cop on a Rooftop comes to Austintown

AUSTINTOWN

Motorists driving down Mahoning Avenue may have been surprised Friday by the sight of law-enforcement officers patrolling the roof of Dunkin’ Donuts.

The officers were raising money and awareness for the Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit Special Olympics Ohio. Cars from the Austintown Police Department and the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office were out front with lights flashing while Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers Jodi Bowlen and Shaun Baskerville circled the roof. Deputy sheriffs and reservists from the Youngstown Air Reserve Station stood by the drive-thru taking donations.

“We had a gentleman who thought the place was being robbed,” said Lt. Les Brode of the patrol. “But he still pulled in to see if everything was OK and ended up donating.”

The Cop on a Rooftop event began as a collaboration between Dunkin’ Donuts and Special Olympics Illinois 15 years ago.

Thomasina Dennison, field marketing manager for Dunkin’ Donuts, said it expanded to six states this year.

Read more about the event in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.