Woodland Police Department strengthens community relations over coffee

By Cutter Hicks, Daily Democrat
Original article HERE

Officers of the Woodland Police Department chatting with the community at Nugget Markets on Monday as part of a “Coffee with a Cop” event.The Woodland Police Department brewed up some chitchat at Nugget Markets during a “Coffee with a Cop” meet-up to strengthen the community-officer relationship through conversations.

The program, which began at the department over a year ago, meets up at least once a month and allows officers to connect with the people of Woodland. The sessions are hosted in the morning and offer free coffee.

The concept of the meet-and-greet is to converse with the public in a comfortable manner that is not tension based, according to Police Chief Luis Soler, who attended the Monday event at Nugget Markets.

“This type of environment is non-confrontation in which people can talk and ask questions,” he said. “It’s even vice versa, so the officers can actually learn about the community as well.”

“Coffee with a Cop” was created in Hawthorne, California in 2011 as a way for their department to interact more successfully with the citizens they protect every day. In a 2014 CBS News Poll, 1 out of every 5 Americans felt anxious when talking to police officers. According to the program’s founder Sergeant Chris Cognac, officers often receive 20-30 911 calls a day and don’t have the availability to stop and talk. They only connect in a moment of crisis or irritation like getting pulled over.

“A cup of coffee is a common bond,” Cognac said in a 2014 CBS interview. “It tells people that I’m here breaking bread, I’m drinking coffee with you, I’m sitting down on the same level as you.”

Since then, the program has expanded to over 650 law enforcement agencies in 47 states.

The Woodland Police Department hosts them at local McDonald’s, Costco, Starbucks and Denny’s. Since Soler became police chief nine months ago, one of his primary goals is to improve the program and their community relations.

“We hope people come to these events. It allows them to have free coffee and enjoy the chatter with the officers,” he said.

Keep an eye out for the next “Coffee with a Cop” meet-up date on the Woodland Police Department’s Facebook page.