Coffee event brings deputies, community together

By Elliott Wenzler, Highlands Ranch Herald
Original article HERE

Residents of Douglas County got the opportunity to have a no-pressure chat with law enforcement officers during the Oct. 2 Coffee with a Cop event.

Children and adults asked the deputies all types of questions from “how many people have you arrested today” to “what’s that on your belt?”

About 10 deputies were available for conversations and questions at LaMar’s Donuts and Coffee on University Boulevard in Highlands Ranch from 7 to 9 a.m.

The deputies gave out high fives, laughs and educational materials about the county’s community response team, or CRT. For the CRT, the event was an opportunity to teach residents about how to get in touch with them when someone seems to be struggling with mental health or substance abuse, said Cpl. Brian Briggs.

“We look at it as an opportunity to let people know that we’re out there,” he said.

For other law enforcement officers, like Capt. Jim Jensen, the event is a chance to get feedback from the community on how they feel law enforcement is performing. On Oct. 2, many people said they generally feel very safe in the area, he said.

There will be another similar event hosted by the Highlands Ranch Community Association from 8 to 10 a.m. Oct. 22 at the Southridge Recreation Center, 4800 McArthur Ranch Road.