Cocoa With A Cop

By Jeremy C. Ruark, The Chronicle
Original article HERE

Meeting the OfficerIf you drove by the St. Helens Burgerville on Wednesday evening, you might have seen the restaurant filled with law enforcement agents.

It wasn’t a crime investigation, but rather a community engagement called Cocoa with a Cop.

Officers from the St. Helens Police Department, Columbia City Police Department, and Columbia County Sheriff’s Office spent time visiting community members, answering questions and chatting about citizen concerns.

Those attending the event were offered free cups of hot cocoa, courtesy of Burgerville. Attending children were given the opportunity to decorate, and eat, Valentine’s Day cookie.

The St. Helens Police Department started Cocoa with a Cop in 2017, according to St. Helens Communications Officer Crystal Farnsworth King.

“Our officers are often seen in the community while out in their patrol cars,” she said. “Cocoa with a Cop and our other community events remove the barrier of a patrol car so that the community can easily speak with their local officers.”

The St. Helens event is modeled after the National Coffee with a Cop program, but designed specifically with families and kids in mind.

“Many times, a child’s first experience with an officer is during a highly stressful emergency situation,” King said. “We wanted to create an opportunity for families to bring their children to meet officers in a relaxed setting where kids could learn to trust officers before a potential emergency situation occurs.”

King said the event is designed to engage the community and police.

“While we encourage people to bring their concerns and questions to these events, overwhelmingly, almost everyone who comes to Cocoa with a Cop is there to give their kids an opportunity to meet and chat with officers and to thank the officers for their service,” she said.

This was the St. Helens Police Department’s fourth Cocoa with a Cop event.

“We have hosted this event annually since 2017,” King said. “We have also hosted several ‘Lemonade with the Law’ events, which occur during the summer, in addition to the traditional Coffee with a Cop program.”