A cup of Joe with Concord PD can be a first step to solutions

CONCORD, CA (Mar. 21, 2025) — Not all the world’s ills will be solved over a cup of coffee, but the Police Department’s monthly Coffee with a Cop is making inroads one sip and one smile at a time to build community and trust through sincere dialogue with the public.

According to Sgt. Eduardo Montero, coordinator of the effort, the only time many residents interact with a police officer is when they have been the victim of a crime or witnessed an incident. These more casual meetups enable conversations to occur under less stressful circumstances.

“Officers enjoy meeting the citizens of Concord and being able to devote the time to hearing from them, their concerns and answering any questions they might have in a safe, friendly environment,” he said.

The next Coffee with a Cop is scheduled for 8-9:30 a.m. Monday, March 24, at the Starbucks at 3373 Port Chicago Highway in the Olivera Crossing Shopping Center.

Putting residents at ease

Last month’s gathering, held at Gratitude Coffee Bar in the Park N Shop along Willow Pass Road, was particularly poignant as it underscored the goal of forging lasting relationships. A group of special needs adults turned out, some who had anxieties about the police.

“The event gave them an opportunity to interact with officers in a more neutral setting and ask questions, which ultimately led them to feel more secure and at ease with officers,” said Montero.

Nicole Emmerichs is program supervisor for Compass Creative Arts, which serves to empower individuals with diverse abilities to thrive by promoting learning, self-advocacy, and independence through creative self-expression and community engagement. At Gratitude, she envisioned cops sitting around passively drinking coffee and people coming up to them to say hi. Instead, she was impressed with how they connected with her clients.

“It was a thousand times better than I thought it was going to be,” she said, noting that the event bridged a gap with the adults the organization serves.

“They were engaging and answering all the questions,” Emmerichs said of the Concord officers. “They were interested in their lives.”

The encounter was such a hit, her clients are jazzed about going to the next event.

From stickers to tacos

Coffee with a Cop has its roots in the Southern California town of Hawthorne in 2011 and it subsequently caught on with communities in all 50 states. “Coffee with a Cop spread across the country as departments looked for ways to interact with the communities they serve,” Montero said.

The Coffee with a Cop program has even taken on an international flair, having expanded around the globe to Canada and countries throughout Europe, Australia, Africa and Latin America.

Concord began the program about five years ago, holding its first event to coincide with National Coffee with a Cop in October. From the familiar faces who have become regulars at the activities to the littlest community members who may not quite ready for a cup of Joe but still get pure joy from receiving stickers, the encounters are having an immediate, ­overwhelmingly positive impact.

Concord has even put its own spin on the concept by organizing Tacos with Cops at Los Rancheros Taqueria on Monument Boulevard.

“The Concord Police Department recognizes the importance of community engagement and has always fostered a positive police-community relationship,” said Montero. “CPD does a fantastic job in many ways, but ultimately without the help of the residents of Concord, it would be difficult to solve a large portion of crimes committed in our community.”

Businesses can join the party

Felix Martin-Aguilar of Pleasant Hill observed “a good vibe” coming from the coffee shop crowd. “There was lots of energy,” he said. “Lots of smiles and lots of talk.”

Gratitude has been a frequent host for the activity, given its good-sized parking lot. Plus, the officers love the coffee served there.

“CPD tries to move the events around the city to reach as many of the citizens as we can,” Montero noted. “We have hosted them at various Starbucks, Peet’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and King’s Donuts. However, we will hold an event at any coffee shop in the city.”

Businesses interested in hosting Coffee with a Cop can email the Community Impact Unit at CIU@cityofconcord.org.

“This is a simple and easy way for the community and CPD to get together and get to know each other. Getting a cup of coffee is an easy and enjoyable thing that most people do every day,” ­Montero said.