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Manteno police: ‘We are just like everybody else’
By John Dykstra, Daily Journal
Original article HERE
Manteno police connected with community members one cup of coffee at a time Thursday morning through its first-ever Coffee with a Cop event at Mayberry Junction Restaurant.
Ten police officers were on hand to sit down and talk to about 50 community members over two hours about their profession. In addition to free coffee, they offered up doughnuts.
“We’re talking to community members about things we normally wouldn’t talk about,” Police Chief Alan Swinford said. “We are just chit chatting about everyday things. It gives our residents a chance to see we are just like everybody else. It closes that gap between police and their communities.”
Coffee with a Cop is a national police campaign supported by the U.S. Department of Justice. Its goal is to connect police with those they serve by meeting in a neutral setting, such as a restaurant.
After meeting several officers, lifelong Manteno resident Sandra Wilson was pleased with the village’s men in blue.
“Talking to them makes me feel more and more confident about living in town,” Wilson said. “They have officers of various ages, and I think that is important for serving with the community. They are just a wonderful group of gentlemen.”
When prompted, officers were not shy about walking to the parking lot and showing kids their police vehicles. They flashed their blue and red lights, and allowed a couple kids to sit in the front seat of their vehicles and look at their computers.
Lisa Syren, who brought her 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son, said such community outreach helps kids build positive relationships with police.
“My husband and I want to make sure our kids are not afraid to approach a police officer when they need help,” she said. “We want them to know they are safe. It’s nice to be able to have them around police like this today.”
That goes both ways. In a day and age when police are monitored through social media and news agencies, departments hope to build positive relations with community members before a negative act occurs.
That’s why 27-year-old patrolman Dan Lengel, who became a police officer a year and a half ago, came to Thursday morning’s event on his day off.
“It’s always good to connect with the community,” Lengel said. “A lot of times, we don’t get to meet someone until there is a problem. It’s better to see people in a positive light and get to know them first. That way, they are more comfortable with me, and I am more comfortable with them.”
Swinford said the department plans on having the event again in the future.
“Police work isn’t just driving a car and answering calls,” he said. “This is a very community-based department. So, I think we need to have more chances to talk to people in a casual, unofficial-kind-of way.”
