Coffee with cops

By Aurora Sain, Auburn Journal
Original article HERE

After getting an invite from local baristas, the Placer County Sheriffs Office stopped by Starbucks to meet with the public.

Coffee with a Cop is a national program aimed at bridging the gap between police officers and citizens, and the sheriffs finally brought it to Auburn.

PCSO has done similar meetings in Colfax, but after being invited to Starbucks by one of the baristas, they couldn’t resist.

Rj Lugo is a 22-year Army veteran who now works at the Auburn Ravine Starbucks. He thought it would be fun to get the sheriffs down to the store to meet with the public.

“We are a community store, it’s good to know our police officers,” said Lugo.“These guys are great. They put their lives on the line every day.”

A handful of officers showed up, as well as residents armed with questions and concerns.

They were welcomed warmly with samples and one resident provided all the officers with a gift card.

Some of the deputies got a chance to throw an apron on and serve customers in the drive-thru.

Overall, the event was a success and they hope to have more in the future.

“I just think our sheriff’s office is so awesome,” said Auburn resident Caroline Allbee. “They are really approachable. It’s good for the public to see them and gain that trust.”