The boys in blue are putting down their guns and putting on their aprons.
Next Wednesday, the University Police Department will be participating in a charity event at Applebee’s on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst. From 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. officers will serve, but not protect, hungry customers. All money raised will be donated to Special Olympics New York. “In this day and age there is so much negative publicity associated with police departments and personnel. It’s always good to have positive news about the department giving back to the community,” said Mark Gates, a University Police officer. The Special Olympics teamed up with a company that owns and operates the 53 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill restaurants in New York to bring the first one-night event to the boulevard location. Police officers will greet, assist waiters on staff, bus tables and educate patrons about the Special Olympics. During the event, patrons will be able to make donations to the charity. The university police have has participated in the Special Olympics torch run every year, but this year the department will be getting more involved by running an extra leg, completing the distance from Canisius College to UB.
In last year’s fundraising event, the Western New York region raised $7,500 for the Special Olympics. Due to a gap in participation in the area this year, the university police offered to lend a hand.