Branson hosts pair of community engagement events

By John Robinson, Brandon Tri Lakes News
Original article HERE

A pair of community outreach events in Branson were a great success, according to Branson’s chief of police.

Neighborhoods across Branson hosted National Night Out Events Tuesday, and on Wednesday, Branson police officers participated in Coffee with a Cop.

According to Branson Police Chief Jeff Matthews, National Night Out was a “true success.”

“It’s the first time where we’ve been in the neighborhood,” Matthews said, adding there were seven neighborhood events in the city. “The last couple of years we threw a party and invited people to the party, this year we decided to go with the true definition of National Night Out which is a community neighborhood initiative.

“We worked with several neighborhoods that decided who wanted to have a party and it was a true success for those people that attended, and it gave us a great launching pad for next year.”

While Matthews said there were some challenges in communication and planning, he said preparations for the 2019 National Night Out will begin in the coming months.

Wednesday’s event, Coffee with a Cop, was a national event sponsored by McDonald’s, according to Matthews.

“There were quite a few residents there just to talk and visit with officers,” Matthews said.

Matthews said that there are also plans to start hosting “Coffee with the Chief” events quarterly at different locations in the community.

“(It is) similar to what some of my piers do in the region so residents can have an opportunity to come, sit and visit and discuss issues and neighborhoods and develop sustainable plans to solve those problems,” Matthews said.

Matthews said these events are all part of the goal of community engagement and investment.

“Both of those events, National Night Out and Coffee with a Cop are part of that strategy,” he said. “As we continue to get deeper into my commitment into investing into this community, you’ll see more initiatives come out so we can get to know our residents better and they can get to know us better.”