Frank Bianco walked into the McDonald’s in Brodheadsville and thought there was trouble. He saw a state trooper behind the counter. “I said, what’s going on there? Thought maybe they had a robbery and was checking the cash register,” laughs Frank Bianco of Saylorsburg. But trooper Peters just wanted to take his order!
Police and all involved were on hand to give out advice and information on various topics including domestic violence and mental health, among other things. Community members did yet another excellent job, signing up residents to receive free home security assessments.
“This gives our officers and the public to talk about things that concern them regarding public safety,” said Coos Bay Police Chief Gary McCullough.”It also gives our officers and the public a chance to get to know our officers who patrol their neighborhoods.”
“The Warwick Police Department are always top notch professional officers who serve our community above and beyond. They are the “old school” cops who really care about people who live here,” said Karen and Phil McKenna.
Huntingdon Borough police say having a good relationship with the community is one of the most important things –and having a cup of coffee with the residents is a great way to get the conversation started.
“Now is exactly the time to interact with the community about their safety.” He says they must continue with their community initiatives and that stopping any efforts to be proactive would only put the community at risk.
The primary goal of Friday Morning Coffee with OPD, according to Eynon, is to bring the police and community members together. Through outreach efforts like this, he hopes people can get past the “Oops, why are the cops here?” mentality to simply, “The cops are here.”
“We had a lot of really good questions and community concerns,” said Fridley Crime Prevention Specialist Courtney Miller. “These really give the public an opportunity to meet with officers in a less formal way. Sometimes it is just to say ‘hi’ and sometimes it is good for people to express concerns that don’t warrant a phone call but have been weighing down on them. It is a great way to get your questions answered.”
In recent years, as the public discourse about policing — as with everything else — has become so polarized, I’ve often wished the public had the same opportunity I did to get to know police officers as more than a person with a badge, gun and the authority to lock you up. Last week, the Iowa chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers, NOBLE for short, had similar thoughts. It hosted its second Coffee with a Cop event at the Starbucks on Merle Hay Road near the mall.
Coffee with a Cop is a BUPD-sponsored meeting that happens about every month as a way to connect with the Butler community.
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