Good News: Coffee With a Cop

By Tim Guidera, WTOC
Original article HERE

Well-informed police officers are effective police officers, and the Savannah-Chatham Metro Police Department is doing what they can to get information for its officers – and get it from regular face-to-face dealings with the public they serve.

The folks in City Market were happy to see some cops again on Thursday, as members of the Tourism Oriented Policing Unit made their usual rounds and struck up their usual conversation with people on the street and inside stores.

It was another form of the trust building and relationship building that had also taken place in five precincts Saturday when the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department held its most recent Coffee With a Cop event.

At area McDonalds’, the public was free to bring issues to the attention of police over a free cup of coffee.

“It’s really a great chance for residents to come out and talk to us about concerns they might have,’’ said Corporal Hillary Nielsen, of the SCMPD. “Or it’s just an awesome chance to interact with police in a non-emergency way.’’

“It’s not necessarily high crime stuff they’re worried about,’’ added Lieutenant Dan Flood. “It’s just something that can make their neighborhoods better.’’

The quarterly meetups are also a way for police and the public to be more comfortable with each other.

“They’re always great to work with,’’ said Tommy Taylor, who coordinates the Kensington Park Neighborhood Watch and attended the Coffee With a Cop event at the Derenne Avenue McDonald’s. “They listen to what you say; they’re responsive. They try to solve the police problems that you have.”

The relaxed communication can also eliminate problems just by letting the police know about them.

“I love it. It’s a totally different experience than what we get to do on a daily basis,’’ said Nielsen. “People call us when they’re in crisis, and this is the flipside of that.’’

“It’s just about getting to know them,’’ added Flood, “and getting to know the people that we’re serving; that sort of thing.’’