We know what you’re thinking, but police aren’t parked in front of the doughnut shop just to eat

By Cindy Butler Focke, The Virginian-Pilot
Original article HERE

"Coffee with a Cop" in Virginia Beach

Several police cars were parked out front of the Starbucks on the corner of Mill Dam and North Great Neck roads recently, but it’s not what you might think. Members of the local police department’s 2nd Precinct stopped in for “Coffee with a Cop.”

The invitation for “coffee and conversation” posted on the social network Nextdoor piqued my interest. So, I emailed some of my neighbors and asked if anyone had any issues they wanted me to bring up to the officers.

I was greeted by Lt. Jason Housden upon arrival. He and about five or six other police officers were there to network with the community, talk one-on-one and share information.

“The citizens are the eyes and ears of the community,” the lieutenant said. Second Precinct commanding officer Capt. Mike Ronan also shook my hand. He explained that the “Coffee with a Cop” program started as a national campaign. The Virginia Beach effort began last year, as a partnership at Dunkin’ Donuts. Now, Starbucks has jumped on board.

I asked the officers a question from a neighbor. He wanted to know about local traffic enforcement efforts. Many drivers on Alanton Drive and nearby streets seem to speed by in the mornings at above the 25 mile per hour limit. That’s dangerous, my neighbor said.

Ronan said they are willing to review, and patrol. Call the police nonemergency number, 757-385-5000. Many times when they come out to monitor speeds, surprisingly the person who initiated the concern is the one pulled over for speeding, he said. And by the way, officers have no quotas when it comes to issuing speeding tickets.

I asked about speed bumps as a deterrent. Too much liability for the city, I was told. Then I asked another neighbor-generated concern. Are there any laws that forbid more than one family to reside in a house?

That would be a question for the city’s zoning department. And yes, there are regulations based on a home’s square footage, and more.

Several residents asked the officers about how to deal with issues related to the appearance of their neighborhoods, such as a vehicle that blocks access, or too much garbage left in an alleyway. Those issues may be reported to the police nonemergency number, and citizens may remain anonymous, Ronan said.

The police captain asked me to remind everyone to lock their car doors to prevent theft. And don’t leave valuables in your vehicles, he said. Cash, gift cards, computers, and even weapons have been stolen from cars, both locked and unlocked.

People think leaving weapons in their vehicles is safer than having them inside the home where children reside, but weapons in the hand of criminals could be extremely dangerous, he noted.

Ronan grew up in the area, graduated from Cox High School, and has served on the police force for 33 years. The men and women he works with are dedicated to the safety of the citizens, he said. “This is our community.”