The Wilmington Police Department would like to extend an invitation to area residents to join us for national Coffee with a Cop Day on Wednesday, October 2. Coffee with A Cop was launched in Hawthorne, California in 2011 when Officers from the Hawthorne Police Department were looking for ways to interact more successfully with the citizens they served each day. Coffee with a Cop events are now held in all 50 states and has expanded to outside the Unites States to Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Latin America. It is one of the most successful community oriented policing programs across the country.
Locally organized by Community Liaison Detective, Ronald Alpers, the program is designed to give residents an opportunity to speak with Officers in a comfortable familiar setting. “Whether you have a crime tip, a neighborhood concern, a question, or just want to say hi, please come down!”, he said.
Chief Joseph Desmond stated, “In the past, people only interacted with the police in times of crisis or if they committed a traffic violation. We are changing that in Wilmington with programs like our Citizen Academy, Police Explorers, R.A.D., and National Night Out. Wilmington is growing and Coffee with a Cop is another opportunity for our officers to stay in touch with our residents.”
Thanks to the support of local businesses, Wilmington PD is holding three Coffee with a Cop events to allow as many citizens as possible to participate:
- 6:30-8:00 am: Cumberland Farms, 205 Main Street
- 8:00-9:00 am: Panera Bread, 228 Main Street (Wilmington Plaza)
- 10:00-12:00 pm: Dunkin’, 357 Middlesex Avenue (Next to the RMV)
We look forward to seeing you there!