Blue Collar Coffee in Beloit hosts ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event

BELOIT, Wis. (WIFR) - Combining a cup of Joe and a cop to get to know. That’s the idea behind the ‘Coffee with a Cop’ day, at Blue Collar Coffee Co. in Beloit.

As with so many good community events, ‘Coffee with a Cop’ day took the last two years off due to COVID-19. But it’s back stronger than ever.

And speaking of strong, that’s a way to describe some of the coffees at Blue Collar; but also some of the bonds made between Beloit Police and the public due to humanizing events like this.

“It’s an opportunity for us as police officers to get out and speak with our community people on a personal level,” said Beloit Police Chief Andre Sayles. “Having these courageous conversations, these tough conversations with them. Letting them know what we’re doing as a police agency to better our community engagement with each other.”

‘Coffee with a Cop’ was created in 2011 as a nationwide initiative to help build trust and connect with residents, over a cup of coffee.

“I encourage all of our community members, not just the city of Beloit but around our region, to get out and meet with their police officers,” said Sayles. “Understand who they are, talk to them; and we can get rid of some of the stigmas that have been built against police officers and we can have those conversations, and we know who each other are.”

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