Las Vegas frequent topic at Greenwich Coffee with a Cop event

By Robert Marchant, Greenwich Time
Original article HERE

Many of the 100 or so residents who came out to have Coffee with a Cop in Riverside Wednesday morning were eager to get law-enforcement insight into the recent shooting rampage in Las Vegas.

While conversations at the community-policing event touched on many concerns, the subject of the mass-shooting Sunday was uppermost in people’s minds, police participants said. Officers were asked to share expertise they have about active-shooter scenarios and steps that citizens can take if they find themselves at risk.

“We talked about situational awareness, attention to detail,” said Officer Alex Testani, an organizer of the event at the Starbucks shop in Riverside Commons.

Testani he had quite a few extended conversations. “Really good, in-depth conversations,” he said.

Overall, police said the casual meeting with residents in an informal setting was another successful way to partner with the community. The Police Department began the program in 2015, the first in Connecticut, and regular meet-ups have been held around town. Starbucks is partnering with the Coffee with a Cop program at the national level.

Testani is preparing to train other departments on ways to conduct the informal coffee meetings. He also worked behind the counter during the busy morning rush and came away impressed at the hard work it takes to keep the line and the products moving along smoothly.

Officer Justin Rivera said he took part in a wide-ranging series of discussions with coffee-shop visitors. But the dismal news from Las Vegas, where nearly 60 people were killed by a shooter, appears to have people especially focused on law-enforcement.

“I had a lot of conversations with people about things going on in the community, the region, and nationwide. And there was a lot of appreciation for law enforcement,” he said.

Richad Rossi, a Greenwich native now living in Washington, D.C., liked the concept and enjoyed speaking with police officers in a casual setting.

“I loved it, these guys were really nice,” he said, taking a break from work on his laptop. “The experience was very humanizing. The concept of taking cops, showing them as regular people, is very valuable.”

A Starbucks manager, Nikkie Coetzee, said the coffee stores are good places for people to meet new people.

“We’re very interested in community. It’s a place that can be a bridge,” she said.