What is it like to ride around in a patrol car for eight hours? What can you do to stop cars from speeding down my street? What do you do in your spare time?
Those are the types of questions Hopewell Township police officers may be asked when they meet with residents on July 21 at Starbucks in the Hopewell Crossing Shopping Center, 800 Denow Road, Hopewell Township.
“Coffee with a Cop,” which runs from noon to 2 p.m. at Starbucks, offers a unique opportunity for people to talk to a police officer in a relaxed setting, Hopewell Township Police Chief Lance Maloney said.
Starbucks is a neutral place where people can meet police officers, ask questions and learn more about the Hopewell Township Police Department’s work in Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough, Maloney said.
Most of the time when people come into contact with a police officer, it happens during an emergency or an emotional situation; not the best setting for making friends with a police officer.
People may feel police officers are not approachable on the street, so “Coffee with a Cop” allows for the breakdown of barriers and a chance to meet with a police officer and find common ground.
“We hope community members will feel comfortable to ask questions, bring concerns or simply get to know our officers,” Maloney said. “These interactions are the foundation of community partnerships.”
The “Coffee with a Cop” program grew out of an initiative by two Hawthorne, Calif., police officers in 2011. The program has spread to more than 650 police departments in 47 states, according to www.coffeewithacop.com
The initiative now is supported by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
