"Coffee with a Cop" begins at 7:00 Friday morning at Longstreet Cafe on Pearl Nix Parkway.
"Coffee with a Cop" is designed to provide "a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the daily operations of your Hall County Sheriff's Office." A spokesman for the sheriff's department noted that for the most part, whenever citizens contact law enforcement, "we are dealing with emergencies, or highly emotional situations" but those occasions are not always the most effective times to build community connections. Additionally, some community members may feel that deputies are unapproachable on the street. "Coffee with a Cop" attempts to break down the existing barriers and allow for a relaxed, one-on-one interaction.
"We hope that our community will feel comfortable in asking questions, bringing concerns, or simply getting to know our deputies," said Sheriff Gerald Couch. "These types of interactions are the very foundation of strong community partnerships."
"Coffee with a Cop" is a national initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Similar events are being held across the country, as local police departments, sheriff's offices, and state police forces "strive to make lasting connections with the communities they serve. "
The program aims to advance the practice of community policing through improving relationships between law enforcement and community members "one cup of coffee at a time".
Hall Co. Sheriff Gerald Couch
http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/1/269826