Police donut eating competition in Allen Park raises funds for autism awareness month

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Almost two dozen police departments in Metro Detroit participated in a donut eating competition on Sunday to raise funds for autism awareness month.

"Getting people together, get some food, some coffee, some donuts, it's 80 degrees, feels like summer, it's perfect," said Dt. Jim Thorburn from the Allen Park Police Department.

Like cops and donuts, this story brings two things together… people and a good cause.

"We have police coming from all over which shows the brotherhood and how much they are willing to come be a part of their community," Dt. Thorburn said.

An audience gathered to watch the competition inside the Allen Park Center for the Arts to see who could eat 12 donuts the fastest.

"We did traditional cake donuts.. and a sugar donut as a speed bump to slow some of these big fellas down," Dt. Thorburn said.

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The money raised went towards Mimi's Mission, a charitable organization that helps those with autism live an independent life.

"The autistic community is very sheltered and they get pushed aside a lot so for the police to take and interest and want to help is huge," said Lisa Vilella, the executive director of Mimi's Mission.

They meet twice a month and service 120 people to the tune of $500-$1000 per person.

"It costs money, the sensory items costs money.  Everything that has to do with a person with a disability… the prices are inflated," Vilella said.

The partnership with police goes both ways. Mimi's mission sells 911 Ready Bags that officers carry with them on patrol in the event they encounter a person with autism.

"It's an instant deescalation bag so for them to want this training is great for the autistic community as well as the officers," Vilella said.

The department that was hungriest to help out was Ann Arbor with an officer who took down a dozen donuts in less than eight minutes.

After the great response the competition had, there could be a rematch in the future.

"If this was an annual event of getting the police and community together it would be an awesome thing," Dt. Thorburn said.

The donuts were provided courtesy of Sugarr Donuts. A total of $5,000 was raised at the event and Sloan Environmental Service out of Redford matched that amount for a total of $10,000.