PASCO, Wash. – Pasco Police Department held a “Coffee with a Cop” event at Café con Arte, offering residents a chance to discuss community issues over coffee.
The event provided a relaxed environment for conversations about local concerns. Lieutenant Thomas Groom highlighted the importance of these interactions, noting that they allow residents to share issues such as traffic concerns, property damage, and crime.
Groom explained, “We want to come out here where people are in a comfortable environment and allow for opportunity for conversations and ask questions, voice concerns, and just have a positive interaction with the police department.”
Groom emphasized the value of these events in building positive relationships between the police and the community. “I don’t want a person’s only interaction with police to be in a negative context, right, because they’re getting pulled over for traffic violations or responding to a call,” he said. “We want to be a part of community. We want to be available.”
He acknowledged the challenges some may face when approaching the police. “It’s not always comfortable walking to the police station,” Groom stated. “So coming out here into the community, finding a coffee place, a place that’s a little bit more relaxed, a place that’s built for a conversation, a little bit easier to have those conversations.”
For those who missed the event, there will be another opportunity to engage with Pasco Police this Thursday at Grange Hall. More information can be found on the Pasco Police Facebook page.
