“I’ve heard the chief say ‘we can’t do this alone,’ but if you have a few people in the neighborhood that can be an extra set of eyes, that’s a big plus,” Yount said. “I think it’s important for public safety to get to know the people of this neighborhood.”
The Clarksville Police Department partners with local businesses to bring the community together with officers in a relaxed setting, giving the public a better understanding of the officers and law enforcement. In return, the officers have a chance to interact with people on a one-to-one basis.
If you visited the Bowling Green Starbucks on Campbell Lane Wednesday morning, you may have noticed a heavy police presence. It was all for the love of community and coffee.
Talk ranged from baseball statistics to whether or not the county was seeing a rise in crime, and from day-to-day police life to escape rooms, all accompanied with many laughs and some of the best coffee in Dawson County.
Gwinnett County Police officers packed Sweet Point Bakery & Cafe Monday morning to greet residents with caffeine and conversation.
Tecumseh Police officers spent much of the afternoon Thursday treating area children with snow cones at Roller Shaved Ice. The first Snow Cone with a Cop event was a big success. Dozens of families came and went, visiting with officers, testing police sirens and cooling off with flavored ice.
They say there was no agenda, just a chance for neighbors to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers in the community.
“The police working closer together and doing events; oh, my goodness, people love their coffee with a cop,” said Brenda Morrow.
Paul Harvey, commander of the department’s special operations division, pointed out that some residents hesitate to contact police with information pertaining to a crime because they are afraid of getting involved. He noted that events like Coffee with a Cop help some feel more comfortable sharing their concerns. “We learn a lot about the neighborhoods this way because people are more inclined to tell us things,” Harvey said.
“We’ve been doing it for three or four years. We really enjoy it,” said Moss while pouring a cup of coffee for a new arrival at Starbucks. “The community seems to enjoy the interaction and we’ll continue to do it as long as it remains successful like this.”
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