BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Wednesday, October 4th is National ‘Coffee with a Cop’ Day, and multiple local law enforcement agencies participated in the event and met with members of the community.
Residents were encouraged to talk to officers about anything ranging from past cases, the feedback they had for officers, or just general questions about the departments.
Community events that involve the local departments are important because they help residents get to know their local first responders better and help put names to faces.
“It’s important to us because again, it is opening us up for discussion,” said Panama City Police Officer Dustin Brown. “It’s getting us to get to questions on a personal level to talk one-on-one to people if they have any complaints or what we’re doing good, what we’re doing bad, anything like that they can bring to the table and talk to us about.”
“This is something that’s supposed to bring the community together. As you can see, the time we kind of do this is more when the kids are in school,” Panama City Beach Police Sargeant James Dinse added. “This is where the adults come out and actually speak to us and ask some questions and ask some at-home questions as well. We’re definitely here for the community and try to bring that communication together, we’re no good without the community.”
Members of the Panama City Police Department set up at The Press between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. while Panama City Beach officers were stationed at Tom Thumb from 8 to 10 a.m.
Local departments are planning to hold another ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event sometime in March.
