Coffee with a Cop in Stroudsburg

By Carmella Mataloni, WNEP
Original article HERE

Customers at McDonald’s in Stroudsburg got a surprise when they walked into the fast food place on Main Street — cops working behind the counter and sitting at tables.

“I was laughing because someone almost took three steps back when they walked through the door, I thought they were going to trip over themselves and they were like no, no listen, you’re fine we are just here to hang out with you guys,” said Martin Soltan, Stroudsburg.

Members of the Stroud Area Regional Police Department hosted their first-ever “Coffee with a Cop” event.

The nationwide initiative brings local law enforcement and the community together for coffee and conversation.

“It’s more important today than it’s ever been. Years ago it was community policing when you had enough police officers to walk the streets and actually talk to all the store owners and see the public on a daily basis. Unfortunately, that’s not the case today,” said Chief Jen Lyon, Stroud Area Regional Police.

While many customers were surprised to see police officers inside McDonald’s, they are happy to see their local law enforcement out in the community.

“This is a chance to have a one on one, where I don’t feel threatened in more of a comfortable environment and that I appreciated,” said Eunice Taylor, Stroudsburg.

Martin Soltan from Stroudsburg is currently working towards becoming a police officer and is happy to see his local law enforcement doing good in the community.

“Every other news story is a cop doing something wrong or a cop not really following protocol and getting in trouble for it but you don’t get to see all the great that they really do,” said Soltan.