Atlanta area law enforcement officers will kick off the first weekend of the nationwide Special Olympics fundraising program, “Cops on Doughnut Shops,” in partnership with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. Beginning on Friday, April 1 and ending Sunday, April 3, police officers will sit on the roofs of local Krispy Kreme Doughnuts stores in hopes of raising more than $100,000 for the Law Enforcement Torch Run®, as well as awareness for Special Olympics.

Police officers will collect donations from customers and the general public as they eat, sleep, and play on the rooftops of Krispy Kreme stores. Looking to the community to come out and support their efforts, participating law enforcement officers will work morning, noon, and night, encouraging patrons of Krispy Kreme and citizens to help further opportunities for Special Olympics athletes.

Fifty plus Krispy Kreme stores in cities across the country will participate in the program starting the first weekend of April and continuing throughout May. Customers who donate $5 or more will receive free doughnut treats, and corporations or organizations donating $1,000 or more will receive a free doughnut party for their employees. More than 20 other such events will take place during the remainder of 2005.

“The officers participating in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics are happy to join with Krispy Kreme in raising more money and awareness for Special Olympics programs around the world,” says Roy Forrest, Law Enforcement Torch Run®. “Their efforts, along with the efforts of hundreds of Krispy Kreme employees at stores in four countries, will have a direct effect on the athletes who are working hard to achieve their goals of personal fulfillment through athletic competition.”

The “Cops on Doughnut Shops” events have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars nationwide for The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and have become a signature event in many communities. The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the largest grass-roots fund-raiser and public awareness vehicle for the Special Olympics movement worldwide. Law enforcement officers from around the country and world carry the Flame of Hope in honor of the Special Olympics athletes in their areas and around the world. Since the Torch Run’s inception in 1981, more than 80,000 law enforcement officers have raised $113 million.