Coffee with a Cop in Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay residents will have a chance to meet local police officers in an informal setting during the city’s first Coffee with a Cop event from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 11, at City Council Chambers, 9101 W. FM 2147.

Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative designed to foster open dialogue between law enforcement and community members through casual, one-on-one conversations. The program aims to “break down the barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve,” according to the organization’s website.

“There are no formal agendas, and no PowerPoint presentations planned,” Acting Police Chief Paul Nelson said in a media release. “We simply want to sit down across a table from our neighbors, listen to their neighborhood concerns, answer questions, or just chat about sports or the weather over a good cup of coffee. It takes away the intimidation factor of a squad car or a police station and serves as a bridge to organic conversation.”

Residents can stop by at any time during the event to ask questions about local traffic laws, discuss safety concerns and learn more about the police department’s day-to-day operations.

The police department plans to host Coffee with a Cop gatherings regularly throughout the year, with varying times and locations to accommodate different schedules. Free coffee and pastries will be provided.

For more information, contact Communications Director Cindee Sharp at csharp@horseshoe-bay-tx.gov.

Origins

Coffee with a Cop, a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was launched in Hawthorne, California, in 2011 as a way to strengthen relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. The program has since expanded to all 50 states as well as Canada, Europe, Australia and other countries, with more than 15,000 events held worldwide.

maci@thepicayune.com