Casual interaction between citizens and those who protect them can only work to improve relationships and communication.

Enjoy a cup of coffee and meet your local police officers at Coffee with a Copy, this Wednesday Oct 3 from 8-10 a.m. at McDonald’s (2520 Park Ave. Muscatine).

Coffee with A Cop was launched in Hawthorne, California in 2011 when Officers from the Hawthorne Police Department were looking for ways to interact more successfully with the citizens they served each day.

Community policing has long been considered a framework for establishing trust between the community and the police. However, over time the character and composition of our nation’s communities have changed due to shifting demographics, more commuters, and the introduction of different communication methods such as websites and social media.

The Hawthorne Police Department hit upon a simple plan to break through the barriers that have been built over the years–a cup of coffee.

Coffee with a Cop events are now held in all 50 states and is one of the most successful community oriented policing programs across the country. The program has also expanded to outside the Unites States to Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Latin America.  The key to Coffee with a Cop’s growing success is that it opens the door for interactions outside of the crisis situations that typically bring law enforcement officers and community members together.

Coffee with a Cop brings police officers and the community members they serve together–over coffee–to discuss issues and learn more about each other.

Don’t miss this relationship-building event!

Tess Abney

Tess Abney is a freelance writer who was born and raised in the Quad Cities. She spends most of her time attempting to successfully raise three boys. In her free time, writing is her passion. Whether it is sharing local events and businesses with readers or sharing her thoughts on life, she finds comfort in the way words can bring people together.