Norristown's Second 'Coffee With A Cop' Event Scheduled

The Norristown Police Department is hosting a “Coffee with a Cop” event on Tuesday July 21 from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. at the Dunkin Donuts in Logan Square on 1882 Markley Street.

Residents are invited to stop by and have a cup of coffee with Norristown officers.

“No agenda, no speeches: just a chance to voice concerns and get to the know the officers in your neighborhood,” the event flyer reads.

The event is meant to increase and improve dialogue and trust between the police force and the community.

“Building and maintaining longstanding community trust is one of the most important issues facing law enforcement nowadays,” the Norristown police Facebook page posted in June.

The last ”Coffee with a Cop” event took place on June 3.

“We’re not here to lock people and throw them in jail,” Norristown Police Chief Mark Talbot told Philly.com in a recent feature, which highlighted Talbot’s work in improving police interaction with the community.

Unrest over racial and social issues has plagued the relationship between law enforcement and residents around the country over the past year, from St. Louis and Orlando to New York and Baltimore.

On June 2, Norristown police met with Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, other Montgomery County police departments, and the Hawthorne, California police department to train for the event.

In total, 22 different police departments in Montgomery County hosted coffee events in June for officers to engage with the public. Precise details for future events with police departments outside of Norristown are forthcoming.