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Police host first ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event of the year
By Leslie Lake, The Hour
Original article HERE
Police brass and community policing officers chatted with members of the public at Starbucks Friday morning at the department’s first “Coffee with a Cop” event of the new year.
“People are at first interested in knowing why we’re here,” Lt. Terry Blake, a Norwalk Police Department spokesman, said. “We explain the benefits of being here to speak with the community. They tell us about their experiences and ask questions about the Norwalk Police Department and talk to us about issues in their neighborhoods. The majority of people thank us for our service.”
Coffee with a Cop is part of a nationwide initiative to break down barriers between the community and law enforcement over a cup of coffee.
It was launched in Hawthorne, Calif. in 2011, as members of the Hawthorne Police Department were looking for ways to interact more successfully with the citizens they served.
The Norwalk Police Department began participating in the initiative in June 2016 with the goals of having the public ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know the officers in their community.
Since then, Norwalk police officers have gathered at various coffee shops and restaurants throughout the city.
On Friday, Chief Thomas Kulhawik, Deputy Chief Ashley Gonzalez, Blake, Sgt. Sofia Gulino and about a half-dozen officers mingled with customers at the Westport Avenue coffee shop.
Similar events have been hosted in all 50 states and have expanded to Canada, Europe, Australia, and Africa.
The national organization says the key to Coffee with a Cop’s growing success is that it opens the door for interactions outside of the crisis situations that typically bring law enforcement officers and community members together.
Norwalk police announce their Coffee with a Cop events on their Facebook page.
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