The officers spread out through the restaurant, pour customers’ coffee (yes, they really do that) and chat with them. Zagrocki said the officers tell the customers about the various programs the department has and listen to complaints and make note of any tips.
James had wanted to host the program for a few years, but he hadn’t had time to put it together. He credited deputy chief Brad Shirley for helping get the event off the ground. Shirley, who formerly served as the police chief in Boiling Spring Lakes, had launched the program there. While it took several weeks to organize, the Leland police hosted its first event Tuesday morning at Blossoms Restaurant in Magnolia Greens.
Chief of Police, Peter Wingert, said, “We make it a priority to get to know our residents, and we’re happy to attend neighborhood meetings. You don’t have to wait for a formal meeting if you have a question or need some help.”
Topics covered during the event included providing advice on home and personal security, scams and frauds, traffic related matters and discussing local crime trends and statics.
This Coffee with a Cop event coincided with the grand final for the local Spelling Bee competition held at Calamvale Central Shopping Centre.
When a community outreach program reaches out to residents for a meet and greet, and residents show up to participate, count it as a success.
Whilst speaking about home security, residents were reminded to maintain their home security at all times, and were provided with home security checklists to identify potential security risks around the home.
Sault Ste. Marie residents found plenty to talk about when Coffee with a Cop ran during Police Week at Station Mall. Property crime, traffic-related queries and opioid use were brought up during one-on-one sessions with officers, Const. Troy Miller told Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board at a meeting on Thursday.
The one-on-one face time with the chief and other officers is exactly what inspired Ron Reading to show up. “I’m glad they do this,” said Reading. “It brings the people together and gives us an (idea) of what’s going on. They should do this more often really.”
“When somebody comes in and they don’t wanna talk with the officer and before they leave they are giving the officer a high-five and everything, it just makes you very very proud of the work that we’re doing,” said LPD Captain Don Scheinost.
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