New Brunswick RCMP brings the community together one cup of coffee at a time

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Have you ever walked into your local coffee shop and spotted a police officer grabbing their morning coffee, and thought, “It would be nice to sit down and ask them a few questions,”? That's exactly what the RCMP in New Brunswick seeks to accomplish with Coffee with a Cop.

The initiative, first launched by police in California in 2011, offers an informal setting where the public can meet with local police officers.

“It's an opportunity for participants to ask questions, talk about issues that matter to them, express concerns about their community, or learn more about police work, including ongoing operations or even historical cases,” says RCMP Staff Sergeant Martin Janson, a District Advisory Non-Commissioned Officer with the Shediac Detachment. Janson initially implemented Coffee with a Cop in British Columbia in 2016, and he brought the initiative with him when he moved to New Brunswick two years later.

He says, Coffee with a Cop is helping bridge the gap between the detachment and community members, and building and strengthening connections that can sometimes fade or be overlooked.

While officers are often in uniform and on duty, leaving little time for casual conversation, this initiative allows the community a rare opportunity to connect with law enforcement on a personal level. Janson says that for many, it's a chance to realize that police officers are approachable and ready to listen.

“Someone told me once, ‘We didn't know you were approachable like that. We didn't know we could just talk to you,'” recalls Janson.

He's also observed that since the detachment launched the initiative, there's been improved collaboration with the public. He notes that while fostering trust is important, it's also about building rapport.

“Holding events like this is the basis of a community and personalized approach with the community,” says Janson, adding that gatherings also provide a moment of appreciation and positivity in a profession often defined by challenges for officers.

“We sometimes forget how many people appreciate our work,” says Janson. “It's a kind of therapy where we can hear compliments and words of thanks that help remind us of the good we're doing.”