Community members build relationships with CPD officers

By Brooke Johnson, Missourian
Original article HERE

Holly McGee wants Columbia police officers to know she has their backs.

That’s why she and a group of her fellow veterans started a petition to get blue shields painted on the curbs of her neighborhood. The shields would indicate to patrolling officers that residents are willing to step up if the need arises, she said.

It’s also why McGee was one of four community members who showed up Wednesday for “Coffee with a Cop” at Chick-fil-A on North Stadium Boulevard. It  was a chance for community members and police officers to interact in an informal and neutral environment. McGee and her friend Guru Stevens attended the event to express gratitude for the hard work Columbia police officers do.

McGee and Stevens, both U.S. military veterans, say they support the force because they know that “To Protect and Serve” is not an easy job.

These days, it’s a tough job that’s only getting tougher, according to Officer Brad Anderson, one of those charged with patrolling the neighborhood where Wednesday’s Coffee with a Cop took place. Anderson has been with the Columbia Police Department for almost 16 years, and he knows they don’t have enough officers for the growing amount of work.

There are currently 11 open positions within the department, and although they hire more officers every year, it’s not enough to keep up with the increasing number of calls for service, according to Columbia police spokeswoman Bryana Larimer.

It’s difficult to be proactive when so much of his day consists of going immediately from one call to the next, Anderson said.

Anderson said he believes that getting to know the people who live in his own beat, Beat 50 in west Columbia, is one way to counterbalance the reactive nature of his usual work day, which is why he showed up to Coffee with a Cop.

Stevens said he appreciates officers like Anderson showing up for events like these. For him, he said, “It’s all about community.” Getting to meet officers in this setting and then saying hi to them when he sees them out and about is a great way to feel connected.

This was the first Coffee with a Cop event McGee has attended and the first in a while for Stevens, though they said they have attended other CPD community events to show their support.