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Fairbanks, North Pole residents grabs a cup of coffee with cops
By Kris Capps, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Original article HERE
Local residents from North Pole and Fairbanks met police officers over cups of coffee this week; the conversations were so successful, the casual meetings are expected to become a monthly event.
North Pole police held an hourlong open house at North Pole City Hall on Wednesday, and both Fairbanks police and Alaska State Troopers spent a couple hours meeting people at Barnes & Noble Booksellers later that same day. Many folks came specifically to meet officers. Others happened to wander in and joined the gathering. A number of parents brought along their children to meet uniformed officers.
The program, dubbed “Coffee with a Cop,” grew out of a national movement aiming to build trust between community members and police officers, one cup of coffee at a time. It already takes place in more than 80 cities in 24 states.
“Typically, we see people on their worst day,” said Sgt. Lee Bruce, with Alaska State Troopers. “Here, we get to interact in a nonemergency.”
That’s why the program has proven so successful. The meetings are informal, one-on-one, in a relaxed atmosphere. Residents chatted with officers, detectives and troopers and got to know one another.
Recently retired Lt. Lonny Piscoya, of the Alaska State Troopers, even showed up for the casual coffee klatch. Did he miss his co-workers already?
“Hey, it’s free coffee,” he laughed.
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