Multiple police departments across the North Penn region are teaming up to host a Coffee With A Cop event for people to come and express any issues or concerns they have about their communities.
The event will take place on Dec. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Lansdale YMCA. The event is free and will feature donuts, coffee and literature about the different police departments as well as about various programs that the departments are a part of. It also gives the community a chance to talk to their police officers in an informal setting.
“What we ask people is to show up and come armed with their concerns,” said Lansdale Borough Police Chief Michael Trail. “In law enforcement, we’re constantly being reactive to a lot of the events that we have to deal with. To get past the reactive curve, we want to be proactive. We need to get the information from the communities. When you’re seeing an issue in your community that you feel is important, this is an opportunity to come out and get face-to-face with us and present your concerns.”
“It really is another way for police departments to put themselves out there and to get in touch with the community a little bit better,” said Chief Scott Bendig, of the Montgomery Township Police Department.
The Coffee With A Cop program started out west and migrated east. The event has taken place locally for three years, according to Trail, with the North Penn area police departments teaming up for the past two years to host the event. Local police departments also hold their own individual Coffee With A Cop events numerous times throughout the year.
According to Trail, people come and go throughout the event, and it is not unusual to have 10 to 15 people present at any moment. Kids are welcome to attend the event, and the officers will have swag to give to the kids that show up.
“[It’s] never the same faces,” said Chief William Tierney, of the Hatfield Police Department.
The police chiefs agree that these events are important to the police officers because they get a chance to show the public that they are there for the benefit of the communities they serve. They need to help keep their residents safe, and while they may come across as intimidating, they really do care about those they serve.
“I hope that people walk away from the event with an understanding that we’re here to listen and that we are truly here to help,” said Trail. “There are times that we have a lot of interaction with the community and it could be negative. For me, it’s to have people have the understanding that we’re compassionate, we’re empathetic, we’re sympathetic, and we’re going to work together.”
“Obviously, this world is changing, and sometimes the relationship between the police and the community has taken a publicity hit,” said Bendig. “It’s important for people to understand that what they’re saying in the newspaper or what happens at different locations, that’s a very small part of a very big picture. We need to restore that trust that people have in this profession.”
Tierney added that, while the community gets a lot out of the events by having a platform to express issues and concerns in a comfortable setting, the officers get just as much out of the event.
“We get a lot out of it because people bring us issues or concerns that we then bring back and share with other members of our respective departments,” said Tierney. “Overall, they’re just great events.”
See also:
Towamencin Police ‘Wrangle’ Escaped Miniature Animals
Lansdale Police To ‘Let It Grow’ For Variety Club Fundraiser
Lansdale Police Seek New Leads In Murder Case From 1993
Area Police ‘Go Pink’ For Breast Cancer Awareness Month
North Wales Swears-In New Police Chief
