Police meet with community members over coffee

By Casey White, Shelby Star
Original article HERE

Armed with a cup of coffee, Cpl. K.L. Hamrick of the Kings Mountain Police Department took time to talk to everyone who stopped by the Carolina Room at the Mauney Memorial Library Wednesday morning.

Hamrick was present for the second Coffee with a Cop event in Kings Mountain, aimed at building relationships between officers and members of the community. The Kings Mountain detective said the monthly event allows officers to get to know the people they serve every day.

“We deal with a lot of the bad people a lot of the times, so it’s good to get to interact with the good citizens of the city that care about their neighborhoods,” Hamrick said.

Rather than a structured meeting, Coffee with a Cop is a relaxed environment, and the officers want people to feel comfortable talking with them.

Some came to voice specific concerns about their neighborhood. Retired Kings Mountain officer Phil Witherspoon came by to see how the department is doing these days. Kings Mountain resident Chris Little just dropped by to say hello and thank Hamrick for his service.

“That’s what we need, more interaction with the community,” Little said.

Hamrick hopes the interactions will give people insight and make them feel more comfortable calling police when they have issues.

Coffee with a Cop will continue at the Mauney Memorial Library from 10 to 11 a.m. on the first Wednesday of every month.

Library assistant Terry Bivens said the library staff is proud to partner with the Kings Mountain police and provide a place for the community to feel free to meet with police about whatever they need.

“They can voice their concerns and feel like they’re heard,” Bivens said. “The library is a place for everyone, so we’re kind of like the neutral ground.”