Dawson, Worthington Police Department gear up for Cop on Top

• Dawson (and friend)

McGruff the Crime Dog greets Worthington Police Officer Jacki Dawson during last year’s inaugural Cop on Top event. Dawson, the Special Olympics Minnesota Law Enforcement Torch Run officer for the department, set a goal of $7,500. The event will begin at 6 p.m. May 24 and continue through 6 p.m. May 25.

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WORTHINGTON — Last year, Worthington Police Officer Jacki Dawson hoped to raise at least $2,500 for Special Olympics Minnesota (SOMN) by organizing a “Cop on Top” Law Enforcement Torch Run event, in which law enforcement officers, in shifts, sit on top of a building for 24 hours straight.

When the funds raised were tallied at the end of the event, the results weren’t quite what she or anyone else had expected. Instead of hitting the goal, Dawson was thrilled to learn that she and other officers and support staff had actually raised $7,000.

Never one to resist a challenge, she’s going for $7,500 this year.

“We know the community is very generous, and when we all pull together, anything is possible,” Dawson stated.

The second annual Cop on Top will begin at 6 p.m. May 24 and conclude at 6 p.m. the following day. Dawson will get a lift up onto the roof of the Worthington Hy-Vee from the Worthington Fire Department’s aerial truck and spend four hours up there.

Other officers, including Josh McCuen, Joe Joswiac, Eric Baumgart, Det. Kevin Flynn and Chief Mike Cumiskey, will all take a shift, rain or shine. In the meantime, support staff from the Law Enforcement Center will be on the ground taking donations and talking with people. Office Brett Wiltrout will have his K-9 partner, Thor, at Hy-Vee to meet the public from 6 to 8 p.m., and McGruff the Crime Dog will also make an appearance.

For every $20 donated to SOMN, the donator’s name will be entered into a drawing for the opportunity to win a $100 gift card from Hy-Vee, a Memorial Auditorium ticket package from the Daily Globe or a gift from Radio Works. Hy-Vee will also offer other discounts and promotions throughout the event, and US95 will broadcast its morning show from the Cop on Top event Friday morning. SOMN T-shirts will be available for purchase.

Last year, Joel Wiltrout won the $100 gift card and donated it to a food shelf, while Lexi Nunez won WeFest tickets and donated them to a friend who really wanted to attend.

While Dawson is the force behind organizing events for SOMN, she knows she could never do it without the help and support of fellow officers and support staff at the Worthington Police Department.

“It takes all of us to pull it off successfully,” she admitted.

Special Olympics is a great cause, she said, and seeing what the athletes can accomplish is amazing. Dawson is hoping to have one of the SOMN athletes available for the event this year, so people can meet face to face one of the people they are helping.

Donations do not have to come in the form of $20 bills, either, she pointed out. Pocket change can add up, as can the small amount of cash rolling around in the cup holder in your vehicle. Dawson is hoping to find a fish tank to set out for change so people can see just how fast it turns into serious money.

“Every little bit helps, and even if you can’t donate, come out and join the fun,” Dawson said.

She’s hoping group homes will bring their clients out to the event to have some fun, and that families will bring children.

“It will be a fun activity —stop by and check out the fire truck and meet Thor,” she advised.

Things got a little chilly during last year’s event for those up on a roof in the middle of the night, but that didn’t stop officers from volunteering. The worst part of being up there for four hours was the delicious smell of food wafting up from the Hy-Vee kitchens, Dawson said.

“We were up there just being taunted by the awesomeness of the food,” she laughed.

The best part, besides seeing everyone come out, was playing with the bullhorn and teasing people.

“Some people were stopping to shop and had no idea what was going on,” she explained. “They’d say, ‘Is that a cop on the roof with a bullhorn?’ But we had fun. It was a lot of fun.”

Even those who were up on the roof in the wee hours of the morning played with the bullhorn and chatted with whoever was down below.

“They didn’t sleep,” Dawson said. “It is kind of hard to fall asleep on the roof of a building.”

Anyone who would like to donate and can’t attend the event can make out a check to SOMN and send it to the police department at Dawson’s attention. To purchase a T-shirt, people can contact her at jdawson@co.nobles.mn.us or call to make arrangements at 376-2136.

Last year, Cumiskey challenged area residents and businesses to a donation duel, stating he would match any $500 donation that came in. Both Highland Manufacturing and Mick’s Repair met that challenge.

“Chief is going to make some kind of match challenge again this year,” Dawson reported. “But we don’t know what it is yet.”

Daily Globe Reporter Justine Wettschreck may be reached

at 376-7322.

Tags: worthington police department, news, worthington