Coffee with a Cop

[Ibanez]

Have any of you heard of this? Sounds like a great idea, get the police and the community to "break bread" and rebuild trust with one another.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/police-use- ... ght-crime/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Police often fight not just crime, but also community distrust and disapproval. Now, one growing national effort, Coffee with a Cop, hopes to change people's perception of police with a surprisingly simple approach, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann.

A recent CBS News poll showed 22 percent of Americans said their local cops make them feel anxious, a number that nearly doubles for black Americans. Those views were the reason cops gathered in Charleston, South Carolina, eager to try out a new approach program.

[Ibanez]

It was created by two California cops, so i'm sure some of you will have an issue with it.

[houndawg]

Sounds like a good way to wind up dead.


Who wouldn't want to break bread with a juiced-up twenty-something dressed for combat and packing automatic weapons?

[Ibanez]

Sounds like a good way to wind up dead.


Who wouldn't want to break bread with a juiced-up twenty-something dressed for combat and packing automatic weapons?

If you have that mentality, you can't be helped. But the concept of bringing the police together with the community isn't a bad idea.

[ASUG8]

I've been at our local minor league games, Thursday night Downtown Alive, Main Street Friday Happy hours, etc. drinking beer and talking to on-duty cops here in town.

I don't drink coffee.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Houndawg nailed this one. The cops are bringing this on themselves and some of us are taking notes and probably deal with them in a way that they won't like. This is a two way street not a one way like the police are trying to make it.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Sounds like a good way to wind up dead.


Who wouldn't want to break bread with a juiced-up twenty-something dressed for combat and packing automatic weapons?

If you have that mentality, you can't be helped. But the concept of bringing the police together with the community isn't a bad idea.

Actually it is , what is needed is a program to bring these social misfit cops into the 21st century when it comes to dealing with people and not be a complete fu*king douchebag while doing it.

It's not a community problem it's the cops themselves.

[LeadBolt]

It is a great idea. I'd seen a story about it being put into effect in Charleston, SC, as Ibanez said. Both those who support it and those who don't confirm its wisdom...

[andy7171]

I would surmize that the vast majority of people in the US do not have a problem with the police and those in the minority will never be convinced otherwise, thus making this a complete waste of time.

[LeadBolt]

It's never a waste of time to relate to people as individuals rather than as groups. Both the cops and the community can benefit from what they learn.

According to what I saw, it said the cops seemed more uncomfortable than the general populace.

When your social interactions are limited to what the average cops experience in a day in an urban area, its good for them to have normal interactions with the general populace.

[Ibanez]

Houndawg nailed this one. The cops are bringing this on themselves and some of us are taking notes and probably deal with them in a way that they won't like. This is a two way street not a one way like the police are trying to make it.

it is a 2-way street. Charleston is trying to improve relations and it goes beyond coffee with cops.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Not from the cops perspective it isnt

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

I think it's a good idea but it has been noticed by a great many people from varying backgrounds how the police have militarized themselves in the last 15 yrs. When you see Alf and Houndy saying basically the same thing it's a noticed image problem that will take some real doing to go back the other way.

I'm not saying there are a lot of people in the grand scheme that are prepared to battle the cops or that they would stand a chance of winning that battle...but I know a lot more now than I ever used to that see the cops as much a problem as they see the normal criminal and are willing to take steps to protect themselves against the protectors.

I sure hope things like this will change the cops attitudes and also change the public's attitude toward the cops, or at least the ones that don't trust em' a whole lot.

[ASUG8]

I think it's a good idea but it has been noticed by a great many people from varying backgrounds how the police have militarized themselves in the last 15 yrs. When you see Alf and Houndy saying basically the same thing it's a noticed image problem that will take some real doing to go back the other way.

I'm not saying there are a lot of people in the grand scheme that are prepared to battle the cops or that they would stand a chance of winning that battle...but I know a lot more now than I ever used to that see the cops as much a problem as they see the normal criminal and are willing to take steps to protect themselves against the protectors.

I sure hope things like this will change the cops attitudes and also change the public's attitude toward the cops, or at least the ones that don't trust em' a whole lot.

That's key IMO. The Pentagon and DoD have been giving or heavily discounting used military equipment to local agencies for so long it seems like they're preparing for something in the eyes of many civilians. I don't mean to get all spandos on ya.....

[houndawg]

If you have that mentality, you can't be helped. But the concept of bringing the police together with the community isn't a bad idea.

Actually it is , what is needed is a program to bring these social misfit cops into the 21st century when it comes to dealing with people and not be a complete fu*king douchebag while doing it.

It's not a community problem it's the cops themselves.

Glad to see they got your meds worked out!

These assholes run around dressed in military fashion, bloused combat boots, Sam Brown belts, SWAT hats, sunglasses, body armor - doing everything they can to look intimidating - and then wondering why the community isn't comfortable around them.

Nobody under 30 should be allowed to be a cop.

[D1B]

The only people capable of weeding out bad cops and behavior are cops.

The coffee thing is nice, if thugs show up and participate in meaningful dialogue.

[CID1990]

Houndawg nailed this one. The cops are bringing this on themselves and some of us are taking notes and probably deal with them in a way that they won't like. This is a two way street not a one way like the police are trying to make it.

it is a 2-way street. Charleston is trying to improve relations and it goes beyond coffee with cops.

Reuben Greenberg would be rolling in his grave

[Ibanez]

it is a 2-way street. Charleston is trying to improve relations and it goes beyond coffee with cops.

Reuben Greenberg would be rolling in his grave

What? Reuben would be all for lowering the hostility and animosity.

[ASUG8]

it is a 2-way street. Charleston is trying to improve relations and it goes beyond coffee with cops.

Reuben Greenberg would be rolling in his grave

Sounds like a good strong Irish name.

[Grizalltheway]

Reuben Greenberg would be rolling in his grave

Sounds like a good strong Irish name.

I bet he was good with shekels.

[houndawg]

I think it's a good idea but it has been noticed by a great many people from varying backgrounds how the police have militarized themselves in the last 15 yrs. When you see Alf and Houndy saying basically the same thing it's a noticed image problem that will take some real doing to go back the other way.

I'm not saying there are a lot of people in the grand scheme that are prepared to battle the cops or that they would stand a chance of winning that battle...but I know a lot more now than I ever used to that see the cops as much a problem as they see the normal criminal and are willing to take steps to protect themselves against the protectors.

I sure hope things like this will change the cops attitudes and also change the public's attitude toward the cops, or at least the ones that don't trust em' a whole lot.

That's key IMO. The Pentagon and DoD have been giving or heavily discounting used military equipment to local agencies for so long it seems like they're preparing for something in the eyes of many civilians. I don't mean to get all spandos on ya.....

Protect and Serve applies to a smaller segment of the population every year.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Actually it is , what is needed is a program to bring these social misfit cops into the 21st century when it comes to dealing with people and not be a complete fu*king douchebag while doing it.

It's not a community problem it's the cops themselves.

Glad to see they got your meds worked out!

These assholes run around dressed in military fashion, bloused combat boots, Sam Brown belts, SWAT hats, sunglasses, body armor - doing everything they can to look intimidating - and then wondering why the community isn't comfortable around them.

Nobody under 30 should be allowed to be a cop.

They prescribed, what they referred to as "the houndawg" dosage..................so......as you were.

[Ibanez]

Sounds like a good strong Irish name.

I bet he was good with shekels.

He was a black jew.

[houndawg]

Glad to see they got your meds worked out!

These assholes run around dressed in military fashion, bloused combat boots, Sam Brown belts, SWAT hats, sunglasses, body armor - doing everything they can to look intimidating - and then wondering why the community isn't comfortable around them.

Nobody under 30 should be allowed to be a cop.

They prescribed, what they referred to as "the houndawg" dosage..................so......as you were.

...and suddenly you start making sense...

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Actually, you are the one coming over to my side, not the other way around.