SACO —  Want to get know your local police department better? Come have a cup of coffee with the police chief. 

The city is hosting Coffee with a Cop at CIA Cafe on Beach Street from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Chief Ray Demers said he will be at the coffee shop Thursday, and is inviting community members to stop by, say hello, ask questions or share concerns.

Demers said often, the only time people interact with police is while getting a speeding ticket or during an emergency situation, and events like the National Night Out barbecue, the Citizen Police Academy and the upcoming Coffee with a Cop give a chance for people to see police officers in a different light.

“We’re always looking for ways to get out in the public and be more approachable,” said Demers.

The Hawthorne Police Department in California began the Coffee With a Cop grassroots initiative in March, 2011. 

“Coffee with a Cop’s casual conversations help put real faces and personalities on each side, bring concerns to the table, and create better understanding of all involved,” states a press release from the Coffee with a Cop initiative in Hawthorne, California. “The aim is to provide everyone with a voice, enhance cultural awareness, and strengthen understanding.”

In the past six years, more than 10,000 Coffee with a Cop events have been hosted, according to the press release. Events have been held in all 50 states and in nine different countries. 

Demers said the city hopes to schedule more “Coffee with a Cop” events in the future.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.