Monday, 1 October 2018 - 3:22pm

Cuppa with a copper

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deb potter

Hawke’s Bay residents are making the most of having coffee with a cop; an initiative adopted by police in Eastern District and elsewhere.

Coffee with a Cop, which was launched in California in 2011, offers the chance for Police to interact with locals in a more relaxed environment.

This Wednesday (3 October) is national and international Coffee with a Cop day, and police around New Zealand will be available for a chat with members of the public.

Senior Constable Deb Potter has managed the scheme in Hastings since June, spending an hour on Wednesdays from 1pm at Hastings Library with members of the public.

Meanwhile, Senior Constables Bruce Miller, Patrick O’Leary and John Gillon are hosting hourly sessions at Havelock North Library, Napier Library and Taradale Library respectively.

Bruce is available from 1pm-2pm on Tuesdays in the village, while Patrick and John host hourly sessions on alternate Wednesdays from 10.30am-11.30am in Napier and Taradale.

Deb says meeting in a calming environment is something many will take comfort in.

“We want people to know that they have a point of contact,” she says. “If there is a problem they can think ‘I’ll go and speak to Deb in the library’.

“I hope it will grow and we can help the public in a way that they didn’t think we could before.”

Sergeant Su Robinson has championed the project in the region and hopes it will continue to thrive.

“It gives the community reassurance about not having to go into a police station and stand in a queue of other people, especially if it’s something bad or personal they want to talk about,” she says.

“We’ve had people asking for advice around family harm matters, who probably never would have come into the police station.”