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WEGO police make strides to take ‘pulse of community’
By Bill Rettew Jr., Daily Local News
Original article HERE
About 20 Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police officers and the public met over coffee, Wednesday, in an effort to “put a face to the badge,” said Chief Brenda Bernot.
The event, held at the Dunkin Donuts in Goshen Village Shopping Center, marked the second annual National Coffee with a Cop Day. Police mingled with residents in a social, non-emergency or emotional, environment.
“People need to reach out to us in a calm relaxed atmosphere,” Bernot, a hot tea drinker, said. “We’re not just giving information, we’re getting information.
“This meeting is like taking the pulse of the community.”
Bernot and her staff chatted with more than 50 residents during the first hour of the event.
“What problems, concerns do you have?” she asked. “How are we doing?
“What else would you like us to do?”
WEGO Sgt. Ted Lewis is in charge of traffic safety in Westtown, East Goshen and Thornbury townships.
“A lot of people have issues but believe they are not important enough to call or make an effort to come to the police station,” Lewis said. “This gives them the opportunity to express their neighborhood concerns or traffic problems and they can address it in a manner where they feel they’re not complaining.
“For us, we get to hear about problems that we wouldn’t otherwise know about — particularly quality of life issues.”
East Goshen resident Erich Meyer held a cup of coffee while chatting with officers.
“This makes it less intimidating to approach an officer,” Meyer said about the event. “It shows the community support they give.
“I came out to support the WEGO Police.”
Westtown Supervisor Mike DiDomenico noted that police “do a great job in very difficult times.”
Bernot said that many residents will never interact with a police officer.
“We don’t just handle emergencies, we’re a full service department,” she said. “A lot of our residents are unaware of the services we offer.”
WEGO police will help out if you locked your keys in the car, investigate and then implement traffic plans in neighborhoods, and when relationships go bad, and a calming influence is needed, police will help.
“It isn’t just an officer, it’s an individual that they know,” Bernot said. “This kind of event helps more members of the community establish that relationship.
“0ne of the greatest compliments I can receive is when somebody calls me by my first name and says, ‘Hey Brenda,’ while they feel comfortable expressing their concerns.”
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