Life

Rooftop cops raise money for Special Olympics

Hendersonville police officer Rob Underwood takes a shift on the roof of Chick-Fil-A to raise money for Special Olympics.

By Bill Moss, Published: May 18, 2012

Law officers, firefighters and emergency personnel are pitching in to help raise money for the Special Olympics Friday and Saturday.

Deputies and other volunteers were up on the roof of the Chick-Fil-A restaurant from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The fundraiser was reminiscent of officer Tim Griffin's tradition of climbing up a tall billboard on Four Seasons Boulevard to raise money for the Special Olympics. Griffin, who was a city police officer and is now a sheriff's department captain, will play deejay music from the Chick-Fil-A rooftop 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.
Jeff Banks introduces Bella to children.Besides the officers encouraging donations by shouting from the rooftop, the event on Saturday includes a free baby car-seat adjustment, child finger-printing, the sheriff's department SWAT team vehicle, horses in the mounted patrol, police dogs and bloodhounds.
Bella, a 2½-year-old bloodhound, attracted many children. Bella is trained to track lost children and older people who may wander away from home or a care facility. Her training "never ends," said her handler, Jeff Banks. "We start them about eight weeks and it's ongoing, about four hours a week."