LPD & Special Olympics

The Lodi Police Department is pleased to announce our involvement in the 2005 Special Olympics "Courtesy Cop" fundraiser, this Saturday, February 5, 2005, from 10AM to 6PM, at SMART Foods, 610 West Kettleman lane. This event, which is spearheaded by veteran Lodi Police Officer Bob Paine, is a continuation of Lodi PD's tradition of support for Special Olympics through fund raising efforts, and part of the national support this worthy cause receives through the well-known annual "Law Enforcement Torch Run."

In previous years, LPD has participated with Applebee's Restaurant in "Tip-A-Cop," a similar fundraiser where uniformed officers bus tables and assist the waiters, in exchange for donated "tips.' Those events have been highly sucessful, and "Courtesy Cop" is expected to do as well, if not better. Officers will team with local Special Olympics athletes to bag groceries and load cars in exchange for "tips" that will be used to support free sports training for these courageous competitors.

Officer Bob Paine is well known to the community through his 23 years of police service and his daily presence in the downtown area as Lodi PD's senior bicycle patrol officer. He has maintained involvement in the Special Olympics program for many years, including travelling to Washington DC every year at his own expense to attend planning sessions. As a result of his efforts, many thousands of dollars have been donated to the program, in amounts sometimes eclipsing other larger police departments. He will be on hand to answer questions about the program during the entire day tomorrow.

We ask that all media outlets take advantage what promise to be excellent visuals and great content in a very positive story. We hope to encourage as many people as possible to patronize SMART Foods that day and participate in the program.