Riverhead Town Police are inviting the community to coffee.
The police department is hosting four informal sessions on Wednesday morning, Oct. 3, from 8 to 10 a.m. at locations across town.
“Join your neighbors and officers for coffee and conversation,” police said in the announcement. “No agenda or speeches, just a chance to ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know the officers in your neighborhood.”
The “coffee with a cop” meet-ups this year will be held at the following locations:
Dunkin’ Donuts, 1451 Main Road, Jamesport;
McDonald’s, 268 Old Country Road, Riverhead;
Mae’s Market, 161 Railroad Avenue, Riverhead; and
Wading River Deli, 6324 Route 25A, Wading River.
The Riverhead Police Department has been taking part in the national Coffee with a Cop initiative since it was begun in 2016.
Southampton Town Police is holding a Coffee with a Cop meet-up on Wednesday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Melrose Deli, 125 W. Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays.
The goal of the day is to encourage communication and positive interactions between law enforcement agencies and the public, according to organizers, Coffee with a Cop Inc., a California-based non-profit.
The day began as part of National Community Policing Week in 2016 and now continues each year on the first Wednesday in October, furthering efforts nationwide to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement, according to the group’s website.
It grew out of a program launched by the Hawthorne Police Department in Hawthorne, California in 2011. It has expanded to all 50 states in the U.S. as well as to locations in Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa and Latin America, the organization says.
“Coffee with a Cop is community policing at its core. The simple act of having a cup of coffee with community members can be the first step in increasing trust and cooperation between the police and the people they serve,” former DOJ director of Community Oriented Policing Services said in a press release.
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