Slim’s Café hosts ‘Coffee with a Cop’

MOHAWK — How often do you get to just sit down and talk with a police officer? Residents in the Copper Country got a chance to do just that today.

For a lot of people, the only time they talk to a police officer is in a situation that involves showing their drivers license, registration and proof of insurance.

But it’s law enforcement’s mission to protect and serve. So to help bridge that gap officers from the Michigan State Police Calumet Post and the Keweenaw County Sheriff’s Department gathered together at Slim’s Café in Mohawk to spend a couple of hours talking with the community over a cup of coffee.

“We can sit down and talk with them and actually have the time to listen to some of their concerns or answer some of their questions, whereas otherwise if we’re just on a normal work day we might not have an opportunity to do that and this gives us that time to actually sit down and spend time with them,” said Trooper Michael Mariuzza from the Calumet Post.

Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative designed to help build relationships with the community who normally only interact during emergencies or emotional situations.

Since those situations are not always the most effective time for relationship building, some community members may feel that officers are unapproachable on the street.

Coffee with a Cop is meant to change that impression.