Greenville Police Host First-Ever Coffee with a Cop

By Kimberly Hyde, AlabamaNews.net
Original article HERE

The Greenville Police Department is making bold moves to connect with the people they serve.

Chief of Police Justin Lovvorn has launched Coffee with a Cop. The program – held at MO’s JO & Espresso – helps bring officers and citizens together, over a latte.

“It’s very vital to what we do to have the support of the community,” said Chief Lovvorn. “The police department and the citizens here, to me, they should be one.”

It’s a time when people can talk to an officer about anything, good or bad.

“I like to get out and meet different people that I might not see on a regular basis and hear the different concerns, positive or negative,” said Chief Lovvorn.

As we know, some relationships between the law enforcement and the public have been strained over the years, so that is why this event aims to break down those walls of apprehension.

“I think once we start to build that relationship that people understand that they can and come talk to me and my staff whenever they want and they shouldn’t feel that hesitation to do that,”said Chief Lovvorn.

Greenville resident Royce Hall says it’s important that people come to know they can trust their local police officers.

“I ask the question, would you want to live here without police and you just can’t do it,” said Hall. “You have to have that peace officer there.”

The first step, Chief Lovvorn says, is starting a conversation.

“This is a community that needs to stand together. That was my goal is to make this city better and safer and the only way to do that is to build that relationship with the community.”

Building those relationships, one cup at the time.

Chief Lovvorn says he plans to host more Coffee with a Cop events on a quarterly basis.