Police take break; drink coffee and meet the community

By Brandon Cortes, Nebraska TV
Original article HERE

‘Coffee with a Cop’ was founded in 2011 in Hawthorne, California. By 2018, the program was expanded to the rest of the United States, including Kearney, Nebraska.

Kearney Police met with families in March at Starbucks and Saturday afternoon at Java Junction. Owner of the independent coffee shop, Theresa Sweet was excited to hold the event at her store, she says it’s significant for kids to meet with police officers one-on-one.

“I think it’s real important for the kiddos to come and have a handshake with them, give them a high five and even stand next to them, boost their confidence and say, ‘it’s okay, they’re okay,’ you know, they’re here to protect us and keep us safe,” Sweet said.

Officer Jared Small enjoyed the afternoon without trouble and likes moments where he can interact with kids and parents.

“We still enjoy the community aspect of the job, it’s not just enforcing the law at all times. It’s actually putting our feet on the ground, meeting people in the community and associating with them in these types of events and interact us with the public,” Small said.

Kearney police said they hope to make this a monthly event.