WEST HILLS : Officers Take Public’s Orders in Fund-Raiser

Officers from the West Valley Division added a new dimension to the Los Angeles Police Department’s “Protect and Serve” motto this week when they became waiters at a West Hills restaurant.

As part of an American and Canadian law enforcement effort to raise money for the 1995 Special Olympics, nine West Valley officers poured water, served coffee and generally catered to a roomful of patrons dring the Red Lobster restaurant’s dinner rush.

While awkwardly balancing beverage trays over their sometimes nervous customers, the officers solicited “tips” for more than 7,000 disabled athletes competing locally and in the Special Olympics world games in New Haven, Conn., this July.

The fund-raiser, called “Tip-A-Cop,” is being held in 695 Red Lobster restaurants throughout the United States and Canada.

About $700,000 is expected to be raised to help the Special Olympics organization fund local events, world game promotion efforts and Olympic torch run exercises performed by law enforcement agencies from 140 countries to officially open the games.

“These games are now the largest amateur athlete event in the world,” Special Olympics California spokesperson Nancy Ward said. “And the police officers are a huge part of it.

“They’re like heroes to the athletes,” she said. “They show up to the games in their squad cars and the athletes all flock to them. They treat the officers like celebrities.”

During Wednesday’s event, however, it was the West Valley officers who poured on the celebrity treatment.

When Special Olympics gymnast Kristine Johnson walked into the buzzing restaurant, Capt. Bob Gale ushered her and her family to the “best seat in the house.”

“Right this way,” Gale said, bowing before the gymnast.

Johnson, a favorite during the Special Olympics’ local Tri-Valley Area Games scheduled for Glendale High School this weekend, giggled and followed closely behind.

Other celebrities in the restaurant took the officers’ treatment in stride.

TV news luminary Dr. George Fischbeck, a Woodland Hills resident, was not aware of the fund-raiser when he escorted his family in for dinner, but was soon slapping the backs of the officers and congratulating them on a job well done.

“What a great idea!” he said, fishing for his wallet. “(The Special Olympics) is a wonderful organization to give to.”

“It’s just exciting to have so many handsome officers waiting on us,” his wife, Susanne, added.

“The level of service has been overwhelming,” Rusty Feuer, a local businesswoman, said. “This is good because it helps remind everyone that the police are here for us.”

For some diners, the police presence was a little too well-known.

Chatsworth resident Nancy Lagoyda was the first victim of several officer-produced water spills.

As Sgt. Dan Mastro, the perpetrator, apologized for Lagoyda’s wet lap, she shrugged the accident off, saying, “It’s for a good cause.”