Topeka Police hear community concerns with “Coffee with a Cop”

By Natalie Dattilio, WIBW
Original article HERE

Topeka Police were all ears with community members Friday morning.

TPD continued their “Coffee with a Cop” tradition, using it as a chance to bond with members of the community in an informal setting. Officers say while they do protect the city, they are also members of the community and the event is a chance for them to get to know their neighbors and vice versa.

One officer says he hopes this event builds a bridge of trust between them and the public, which could help crime rates in the city.

“They’re a huge part of the neighborhoods because if there’s problems in the neighborhoods we don’t know if they don’t call us to notify certain crimes,” said Officer William Lister. “It’s a crucial part of the world we live in.”

This tradition only started in April of last year.