12th and 14th District cops caught soliciting...for Special Olympics

Cops from the 12th and 14th Districts of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) were caught soliciting from on top of buildings and a paddy wagon as well as in the middle of streets on Friday morning along Madison and Fullerton Avenues.

It was all legal though. It was part of Cop-on-Top fund raising for Special Olympics athletes. 

At the Dunkin Donuts, 1519 W. Madison Ave., 12th District police offers were honing their solicitation skills from 6 a.m. to noon, Some were on the roof of the building, more atop a paddy wagon. Others were in the middle of the street while yet others "hustled" the coffee seeking patrons entering the store.

They not only asked for cash but also gave people the opportunity to receive something in return. They offered a $15 t-shirt, $15 baseball hat, $10 raffle ticket for a Harley Davidson and a $5 pin. All profit goes to the Special Olympics. They even had The 670 Score sports radio guys, Mark Grote and Dominic Mendicino on air in the store.

Unfortunately the dancing coffee cup on Madison didn't meet up with the jiving donut by the Dunkin Donuts at 2565 W. Fullerton  Ave. where the 14th District staked out their territory. That could have been quite the spectacle! There was a rivalry between CAPS facilitators Nancy Arroyo in the 12th and Liz Rios in the 14th. They were calling all their friends and colleagues to get them to drive by and donate.  

Collection efforts in the 14th included Commander Francis Valadez, as one of the Cop-on-Top; Captain Marc Buslik, with bull horn in the middle of the street; and Sargent Felipe Reyes doing a myriad of tasks which almost included a body blow to a vehicle.

Last year, according to one of the many other officers, the 14th was second only to the Police Academy as the top dollar-getter in CPD.

Who were those who gave? According to Buslik who said he was taking a survey, it was mainly the average working person who rolled down their window. "Those in the high priced cars left their car windows up, looked straight ahead and kept rolling down the street," commented Buslik. Other officers posted at other stations confirmed his observation.

Among the supporters on Fullerton was 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack who was giving his oldest son a lesson in giving.

Final dollar figures have not been given by the CPD as yet.