Residents get to know local officers over a cup of joe

By Melissa Bill, Lehigh Acres Citizen
Original article HERE

Click to CloseResidents came to speak with Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies during their first Coffee with a Cop event held Saturday.

The event, which took place at Perkins Restaurant in Lehigh Acres, provided an opportunity for local residents to meet and engage with deputies in a relaxed environment.

“We really need this out here. People can come into a neutral place where they can meet build a relationship with the people who serve our community,” said community watch member Kristin Schultz.

According to Community Policing Deputy for Lee County Sheriff’s East District, Dep. Mike Truscott, Coffee with a Cop is national community initiative program that started in California.

“It’s a place where the public can come and meet deputies in an informal setting. It creates an open dialogue between the community and the deputies. We have several deputies as well as staff here today,” said Truscott.

This is the first of-its-kind event to be held by the local Lee County Sheriff’s Department.

“We have seen a lot of new faces today. Great to be able to reach out and meet people we have never met before,” Truscott said.

Residents and deputies spent the morning getting to know one another, and got a chance to speak one-on-one about issues or concerns they may have in their community.

The day also brought a surprise for one local women who was celebrating her 85th birthday who received a happy birthday serenade by the sheriff’s department.

According to Schultz, their local community watch group works closely with the sheriff’s department.

“Deputy Truscott recently came back to resume his old position as Community Policing deputy back in Jan. 2017 after spending some time in another department. He is very active with us and comes to our community watch meetings. He also works with us on many local initiatives,” said Schultz.

According to Community Watch Coordinator Steve McGiffin, there will also be an appreciation dinner held on Thursday, April 19, inside the Lee County Sheriff Office’s community room at 1301 Homestead Rd N, Lehigh Acres.

“We just want to do something special for our sheriff’s department and other local agencies that service our community,” said McGiffin.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is a multi-faceted law enforcement agency that provides law enforcement services in unincorporated Lee County, plus the City of Bonita Springs, the Village of Estero and the Town of Fort Myers Beach.

ItsLehigh office is located at 1301 Homestead Rd N, Lehigh Acres, FL. Phone: (239) 477-1820.