coffee with a cop
Background
Coffee with A Cop was launched right here in Hawthorne, California back in 2011, as a result of a brainstorming session. We were looking for ways to interact more successfully with the citizens that we 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.
Our Community Affairs Unit hit upon a simple plan to break through the barriers that have been built over the years–a cup of coffee.
In less than five years, Coffee with a Cop events have been hosted 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, and Africa. 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.