Constables and Harris County Sheriff’s Office wait tables for charity - Monday, December 28, 2009

Constables and Harris County Sheriff’s Office wait tables for charity

Monday, December 28, 2009

Cheryl "CJ" Johnson

If you passed by Joe’s Crab Shack in Humble on Friday, Dec. 18, you might have wondered if it was the scene of a huge crime, since there were 10 or more deputies’ cars in the parking lot. There were no crimes being committed there that night, but people were being put in “jail.” The infractions? One young diner was picking food off of his father’s plate. Another was “arrested” just because his parents wanted to see him squirm. How can this happen you might ask?

More than two dozen deputies participated when Harris County Constable Precinct 4 partnered with Joe’s Crab Shack for the third year in a row, to host the “Tip a Cop” evening to benefit the Special Olympics of Texas. The deputies, in uniform, shadowed restaurant wait staff from 6 - 9 p.m. as part of this year’s Tip-A-Cop event. All tips earned that evening will go to the Special Olympics of Texas.

Across town, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office was doing the same thing at Joe’s Crab Shack at Willowbrook in Tomball. There were even officers from other departments such as the University of Texas Medical Center Police Dept. and the Humble PD in attendance. This year’s goal was to raise $20,000.

Lt. D. Escobar, Sgt. W. Schultz and Cpl. C. Bloomfield were on hand in Humble to greet diners at the door as they explained their presence in the restaurant. They asked diners to not only tip well, but to consider paying to put a loved one or friend in “jail.” Then, of course, there was a fee to have them released. T-shirts of the event were also available for purchase.

“We’ve been doing this for about three years and it’s a lot of fun,” said Escobar.

The Special Olympics provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

For more information on the local chapter of the Special Olympics of Texas call 713-290-0049.

Photos: (Top) Precinct 4 Lt. David Escobar shows a deputy how to write up a dinner order. (Bottom) Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), Captain Pam Wiman. Photo by Cheryl “CJ” Johnson.