Back to all news
Reaching out with a cup of coffee
By Julissa Zavala, The Sentinel
Original article HERE
It’s not every day that residents get to interact with law enforcement in a relaxed and comfortable setting, which is what makes “Coffee with a Cop” a different kind of outreach program, where people can chat with officers over coffee and doughnuts.
The majority of contact law enforcement has with the public happens during emergencies or emotional situations. Those situations are not always the most ideal or effective times for relationship building with the community, and some community members may feel officers are unapproachable on the street.
That’s why officers from the Hanford area California Highway Patrol, Hanford Police Department, Kings County Sheriff’s Department and Kings County Probation Department met, talked and answered questions from the community for two hours Friday morning at Dunkin Donuts.
Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Similar events are held across the country as local police departments strive to make connections with the communities they serve by breaking down barriers and allowing for relaxed, one-on-one interactions between community members and officers.
Hanford area CHP Officer John Tyler said this was the sixth or seventh time the CHP has done the event with members from other agencies in the county. In addition to Coffee with a Cop, Tyler said there have also been Lunch with a Cop or Dinner with a Cop events held in Hanford.
Tyler said his favorite part of the event is really just getting to know the community and getting the opportunity to talk about whatever is on their minds in a neutral setting, because most of the time, people only get to interact with law enforcement during an emotional or stressful situation.
A lot of the time, Tyler said the questions he is asked are not even about his job, he is asked more about where he’s from or about his family.
“You’re really sharing things that are, kind of, basic human interactions and recognizing that we’re not just officers,” Tyler said.
Cpl. Chris Barker of the Hanford Police Department said this was the third or fourth Coffee with a Cop event he’s been to since joining the department in 2008, and he said it had a good turnout overall.
Barker said the people he talks to have questions or concerns about what’s going on in the city, or they sometimes even have tips about what’s going on in their own neighborhood.
“It’s just good to keep that rapport with the community,” Barker said. “We’re pretty fortunate here in Hanford, the community pretty much seems to support us and appreciate us.”
Barker said the event is also a way for law enforcement to meet residents and say “thank you” for all the support. He said he “absolutely” enjoys these types of events and it’s always something officers volunteer to do because they genuinely like doing it.
Officers at the event could be seen sitting with residents at tables inside Dunkin Donuts, or casually chatting with them outside over coffee. Some officers handed out stickers to kids and even showed their cars to people who wanted a peek inside.
Hanford resident Anna Anderson said she has gone to almost all of the Coffee with a Cop events, and even attended the last “Dinner with a Cop” event at the Sizzler restaurant. She said she believes law enforcement officers are a great benefit to the community and she supports them in any way she can.
