Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
BV Police Department to participate in Tip-A-Cop
BELLA VISTA — The Bella Vista Police Department alongside seven other Arkansas law enforcement agencies will participate in Tip-A-Cop at Texas Roadhouse in Rogers on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Funds raised at the event will go to Special Olympics Arkansas.
Corporal Haley Lyons, community outreach officer for the Bella Vista Police Department, said this is the first year the department is participating in Tip-A-Cop. She said law enforcement officers will work alongside Texas Roadhouse servers to take care of customers, with donations and additional tips going toward the fundraiser.
“Seven different departments from Northwest Arkansas are going to come together and serve tables at Texas Roadhouse,” Lyons said. “Any tip that goes above and beyond what is given to the Texas Roadhouse server will go toward Special Olympics Arkansas.”
Departments taking part in the fundraiser, in addition to the Bella Vista Police Department, include the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Bentonville Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Fayetteville Police Department, Springdale Police Department and the Rogers Police Department.
Lyons said the fundraiser helps support Special Olympics athletes, as all competitions and tournaments are free to the participants.
“All of the training, equipment and competitions are free for the children and adults that participate in Special Olympics and it’s all done based on donations,” Lyons said. “So our goal is just to get as much of a donation as possible so we can continue that in the state of Arkansas.”
Lyons said the Bella Vista Police Department is excited to participate in the fundraiser this year, noting Special Olympics is taken advantage of by 20,000 athletes in Arkansas.
“We are very excited to be asked to be a part of this,” she said. “By helping with Tip-A-Cop and helping with donations, we are working to help the 20,000 athletes in Arkansas that participate in Special Olympics Arkansas every year. And that’s something that we’re really proud of and really happy to be a part of.”