Enjoy Coffee With A Howard County Cop On Oct. 2

COLUMBIA, MD — Come enjoy a cup of joe with one of Howard County's finest during this year's Coffee with a Cop. Howard County police invite the public to join them at RISE, 8872 Mcgaw Rd. in Columbia, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 2

Since its launch with the Hawthorne Police Department in 2011, Coffee with a Cop has grown into a nationwide and international event aimed at building better relationships between police departments and the communities they serve. More than 10,000 events have been held across the country and in 15 other countries since its inception.

"The mission of Coffee with a Cop is to break down the barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve," the organization's website said.

Organizations held 135 events in 2017 and 70 percent of attendees said they felt better about their local police afterward, according to Coffee with a Cop statistics.

"I was curious about Coffee with a Cop and how it was going to be handled. It turned out great … This should help break down some walls between the average community member and officers," a community member in North Carolina told the organization.

According to the Howard County Police Department, "coffee and conversation are on the house."