Winston-Salem’s first ‘Coffee with a Cop’ garners community support

By Jenny Drabble, Winston-Salem Journal
Original article HERE

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The Winston-Salem Police Department’s first “Coffee with a Cop” event drew crowds Saturday morning, some lining up 15 minutes before the event.

“Coffee with a Cop” is a national initiative to bring police officers and community members together to discuss issues and learn more about each other.

“We’re always trying to reach out and communicate with the community,” police Chief Barry Rountree said. “We want to be available and give people an opportunity to discuss with our police officers.”

An estimated 200 people filtered through the 2-hour event, said Nic Albright, metro marketing and community relations manager for Whole Foods on Miller Street where the event was held.

Attendee Laura Hart McKinny said the event was extremely positive and will help enhance trust between citizens and officers.

“It’s a terrific way to galvanize the community and enable people to express their concerns,” said McKinny, a professor in the school of filmmaking at UNC School of the Arts. “I really wanted to be there and support the officers.”

As part of her third-year screenwriting class, she requires her students to do a ride-along with police officers to foster connections and understanding, she said. She hopes the “Coffee with a Cop” event will be the first of many to come.

“It’s a warm engaging atmosphere and people talked about everything from immigration to safety in their neighborhoods,” she said. “That’s what it’s about — an opportunity to discuss what really matters.”