Warner Robins police offer Coffee with a Cop event

WARNER ROBINS -- One coffee cup at a time, Warner Robins police hope to build community relationships through adoption of a national program designed to do just that.

The agency is holding its first Coffee with a Cop event Sept. 29. Community members are invited to meet with officers in an informal, neutral setting to discuss issues and build relationships.

The event starts at 8 a.m. at Starbucks at 2729 Watson Blvd.

According to a police news release about the event, most encounters between law enforcement and residents come during emergencies or other emotional situations, and some residents may feel officers are unapproachable.

The Coffee with a Cop program is designed to help change that by offering a more relaxed interaction, the release states.

“We hope having this event will help us get to know our community members, and let them get to know us,” Warner Robins police Chief Brett Evans said in the release. “We plan to have more opportunities like this in the future.”

Building relationships one coffee cup at a time is the theme of a national initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

The program was initiated by the Hawthorne, California, Police Department Community Affairs Unit in March 2011, with more than 175 cities and towns in 36 states now participating in the program, according to the Coffee with a Cop website.

Questions about the event may be directed to Jennifer Parson, public information officer for Warner Robins police, at 478-302-5417 or jparson@wrga.gov.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559.

This story was originally published August 29, 2014 at 10:45 AM with the headline "Warner Robins police offer Coffee with a Cop event ."