Police officers get together, share coffee in Marquette

By Patricia Middleton, McPherson Sentinel
Original article HERE

In a town of less than 700 people, it is easy to assume that everyone knows everyone.

That is not always the case, though, as Marquette resident Dori Weber noted she came to Thursday’s Coffee With A Cop event at Riverview Estates to introduce a friend to members of the city’s law enforcement.

Marquette Police Chief, Randy Lillard, said the city is policed by officers who work either full time, part time or on a reserve basis.

Riverview Estates staff members and residents, along with other citizens of Marquette — both young and old — took time out of their day to grab coffee, and a doughnut, and talked with personnel from the Marquette Police Department and McPherson County Sheriff’s Office.

Marquette city council member, Bill Nickel, brought his grandson, Tucker Unruh, to Coffee With A Cop.

Nickel and Tucker sat and chatted with Lillard, McPherson Undersheriff Skyler Christians and Marquette Police Officer Rey Contreras at the gathering.

Tucker said being familiar with the local police officers was a good thing, even if — as had happened in the past — they stopped him from riding his bike too fast around the city’s streets.

“He (Contreras) only lives a block from me if I need anything,” Tucker pointed out.

Contreras said people who came to Coffee With A Cop asked him about crime in the area and the status of active police investigations, which he had to decline to comment on.

“That’s the trouble with Marquette,” Nickel said. “If the siren goes off on an ambulance or fire truck or police, the whole town knows about it and now, with communications they way they are, people get on Facebook and it’s spread all over town in 15 minutes and half the time it’s not the truth.”

Being able to meet and talk with local law enforcement officials face to face and ask questions is one of the main reasons Coffee With A Cop events are held.

McPherson County Sheriff Deputy A.J. Elmer was initially unsure how many would come to Coffee With A Cop in Marquette, given people’s busy summer schedules, but that attendance had surpassed that of prior events.

“This is probably one of the best turnouts we’ve had,” Elmer said.

While there are no other Coffee With A Cop events currently scheduled, Elmer noted the McPherson County Sheriff’s Office will continue to hold them at different locations around the area.