Terri Sanginiti

The News Journal

Police in Smyrna are trying something a little different this week to try to bridge the gap between officers and the community.

They're inviting residents to come out and have a cup of coffee with them, air their concerns and discuss community issues one-on-one in a casual atmosphere – one cup of coffee at a time.

This first-time "Coffee with a Cop" event will be held Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Bridgeway Family Restaurant, at 15 E. Glenwood Avenue.

If there's a good turn-out, these community coffee klatches could become a monthly thing, or maybe even weekly, said Officer Brandon Dunning, the agency's spokesman.

"Coffee with a Cop" is a national program that originated in California to build relationships between cops and the community.

Now, Smyrna's getting on board.

Oftentimes, the only interaction the public has with a police officer is in times of emergencies, or when something bad happens.

"We don't want citizens to have to wait until crimes occur, accidents happen, or problems get out of control for them to be addressed," Dunning said.

"We hope that by hosting the 'coffee with a cop' program that not only does that give citizens an opportunity to sit down with officers in a safe,comfortable environment, but we can also have the much-needed face-to-face interaction that is not often granted."

Interim Police Chief Norman Wood believes that these types of interactions form the foundation of community partnerships.

To that end, Wood recently implemented a Community Policing Unit in Smyrna aimed at opening the lines of communication between Smyrna residents and business owners to join with police to increase security and safety of the town.

Dunning said officers rely on residents to be their eyes and ears, so what better way to deal with situations that arise than to sit down and discuss it with officers over coffee.

"We cannot perform our jobs alone, and the more community support we have, the better and more effective we become, which increases the overall safety of the town," he said.

In addition to "Coffee with a Cop," Smyrna police have been hosting a community awareness meeting open to the public on the first Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at Smyrna Town Hall, at 27 S. Market Street.

The next scheduled meeting is Monday night, Dunning said.

It provides an open forum forresidents to bring neighborhood problems to the attention of police, and allows police to inform the community and enlist their help in crime prevention.

"So far we've gotten great feedback and everybody seems to be supportive of the idea," Dunning said.

Dunning, Sgt. Billy Eastridge and Wood plan to attend Wednesday morning's event.

For information or any questions, call Dunning at (302)653-9217.

Contact Terri Sanginiti at (302)324-2771 or tsanginiti@delawareonline.com