Harwood Heights’ Coffee with a Cop offers ‘a little more relaxed setting’ for residents

By Gianna Annunzio, Chicago Tribune
Original article HERE

Coffee and conversation provided a successful morning combination during Harwood Heights’ first Coffee with a Cop event, inviting residents and the village’s elected officials to join in an informal discussion on community issues.

The event provided nearly 20 residents with an opportunity to ask questions, and learn more about the department’s work in Harwood Heights. It also aimed to help build relationships between police officers and community members.

Coffee with a Cop was held at Family Palace Restaurant on April 18 hosted by the village’s mayor, police chief and other officials. Residents arrived at the restaurant at 9 a.m., and were invited to chat with other community members, and the officials in attendance. Complimentary coffee and muffins were provided, along with souvenir Harwood Heights mugs.

Some guests voiced concerns regarding traffic in the area, while others asked for advice on general neighborhood problems they may have encountered. Other attendees hoped to get more involved with the community themselves. Ruth Ready, a Harwood Heights resident, was one of them.

“I know the mayor and I’ve interacted with the police, so I was like ‘why not go and see who I could meet?’ ” she said. “I love Harwood Heights, and I was telling the mayor I want to get involved with the Harwood Heights fest. I thought this was the best way to come and say ‘hey, I want to work on it.’ ”

With several local towns developing a police focus on community relations, the department intended Coffee with a Cop to offer a more informal engagement. Deputy Chief John DeVries greeted patrons at the door. He hoped Coffee with a Cop would stand as another addition to the department’s quarterly community events.

“We do a lot of community relations now and do crime prevention classes for seniors, and for residents of any age,” he said. “So we figured we’d try this.”

Detective Sgt. Jolanta Smith said crime prevention classes help the department build initial relationships with the community.

“We try to teach residents about the newest scams and crimes, things like that,” she said. “A lot of them come and have questions about different things, so we like that contact with the residents. So we figured we’d do it a different way, a little more relaxed setting where we have coffee, and we’re just talking to people.”

Several attendees were also regulars at department-held community meetings.

“They’re always there and interested to hear what’s going on, and they learn a lot,” Deputy Chief DeVries said. “You have to come to more than one to have an understanding. So that’s the word we’re trying to get out, we want people to get more involved in the community.”

While no future Coffee with a Cop plans are in the works, Chief Frank Biagi says the event’s turnout will likely spark plans for a second one.

“We had no idea if we were going to have three people or this (amount), so we’re happy with the turnout,” he said. “It’s a lot more people than I even anticipated — some familiar faces and a lot of new ones.”