Public Safety to hold 'Coffee with a Cop' series

By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Ironwood — Ironwood residents will soon have a chance to get to know their police officers a little better as the Ironwood Public Safety Department is hosting a series of “Coffee with a Cop” meetings throughout the community.

The meetings give residents an opportunity to meet with representatives from the public safety department in a more comfortable setting, according to Ironwood Public Safety Department Director Greg Klecker.

“It’s community relations in practice. People are not as inclined to come to a police department as they are to a McDonald’s,” Klecker said.

The first of events is at 6:30 a.m. Friday at the Ironwood McDonald’s, with other events scheduled every Friday after that through April 27.

The schedule for Coffee with a Cop is as follows:

—March 9, 6:30 a.m. at McDonald’s.

—March 16, 8 a.m. at the Pines Cafe.

—March 23, 8 a.m. at Uptown Cafe.

—March 30, 8 a.m. at Contrast Coffee.

—April 6, 8 a.m. at Rigoni’s Bakery.

—April 13, 8 a.m. at Ben’s Place.

—April 20, 8 a.m. at Joe’s Pasty Shop.

—April 27, 9 a.m. at Mike’s Restaurant.

The schedule is also on the city’s website, according to Klecker.

The meetings allow residents to ask questions and provide the department feedback in a less stressful environment than most police interactions happen in.

“Often the general public, the only contact they have with the police is when they get into an auto accident or there’s a call for service,” Klecker said. “This provides another avenue for people to just sit down, maybe have a few questions (answered).”

The meetings also provide an opportunity for Klecker — who was sworn-in as public safety director in December — to get to know residents.

Coffee with a Cop is a nationwide initiative the Hawthorne (Calif.) Police Department started in 2011, according to the program’s website.

Since its launch; Coffee with a Cop meetings have been held in all 50 states, according to the site, and expanded into Canada, Europe, Australia and Africa.