OAKLAND — Police Capt. Rick Stubbert understands that people can feel uncomfortable about cops.
“I think by our very nature people are intimidated,” Stubbert said, adding that many people never even have a reason to meet or talk to an officer unless there is something wrong.
“That’s one of those walls we want to break down,” he said.
To start doing that, Oakland police are offering Coffee with a Cop at 7 a.m. Tuesday at the Early Bird Restaurant on Main Street.
The idea is to have a casual meeting with residents in a comfortable, neutral space and let people talk about their concerns or just have a conversation and get to know their officers, Stubbert said.
Stubbert and three other officers will be at the restaurant for about an hour, and everyone is welcome to join them for a cup of coffee. Chief Mike Tracy can’t attend because of another engagement, he added.
“We thought it would be a good way to learn what issues the community is worried about,” Stubbert said.
But concerns aren’t the only things police hope residents come to talk about. The intent is to have people interact with police in a situation that doesn’t include a traffic stop, an arrest or a crisis, the times when people are most likely to meet officers.
“We can talk about anything from the Red Sox to what’s happening on their street,” Stubbert said.
Police departments across the county have adopted the Coffee with a Cop concept since the idea was launched by the Hawthorne, Calif., Police Department in 2011, according to the program’s website.
Since then, it has spread to more than 175 cities in towns across the U.S. The Coffee with a Cop Facebook page lists dozens of recent events, including one hosted by an Australian police department.
Oakland police have a good relationship with the community, but it could always be stronger, Stubbert said. The department would like to make coffee with a cop a regular event and bring in different officers each time, he said.
Peter McGuire — 861-9239
pmcguire@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @PeteL_McGuire
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