Coffee with a Cop helps BART Police forge a link with locals

Something’s brewing at the BART Police Department.

On Thursday, June 16, officers from BPD gathered at a Starbucks in Castro Valley for another iteration of Coffee with a Cop, offering locals a chance to discuss, well, whatever they liked with uniformed officers in a casual atmosphere.

Coffee with a Cop is an international movement to bridge connections between the public and law enforcement. Started by California’s Hawthorne Police Department in 2011, the community policing effort helps break down barriers between officers and the people that they serve.

BPD Community Service Officer Jonathan Moreland, who organized the event with help from the local Starbucks management, said Coffee with a Cop “is a good opportunity for citizens to see law enforcement as people.”

“It helps them understand better how we go about policing,” he said.

Anyone and everyone is invited to attend, grab a free coffee, and ask officers questions in a friendly, no-stress environment. BPD hosts Coffee with a Cop about two to four times a year at various locations. If you’d like to attend, keep your eyes on the BPD Facebook page.

“We want [community members] to drive the conversation,” Moreland said. “We could talk about anything, from the Warriors game to the high gas prices.”

On Thursday, BPD’s Lieutenant Jesse Sekhon, Community Service Officer Shirley Lara, and Sergeant Joseph Mateu were in attendance, fielding questions and shaking hands with coffeeshop goers. The table before them was stocked with BPD “swag,” including wristbands, stress balls, stickers, coloring books, and even BPD-themed slime.

As the officers talked with community members, a young boy named Peter drew lines in purple, blue, and green in his coloring book, while his parents drank coffees. When asked if he liked to color, Peter responded with a resounding, “Yes!” and returned to his masterpiece.

“Hi, I want a free coffee!” said Gina Yeuh to the officers, before pouring herself a cup and shaking hands with the cops.

Glen Alcorn, a retired Castro Valley resident, gave the officers feedback on police presence at Coliseum Station and asked if BPD ever partners with other law enforcement agencies (BPD does so frequently).

And Josh, of Castro Valley, took time away from his beverage to express his gratitude for the officers’ service and to shake their hands. “Thank you, officers,” he said.

Between visitors, Sekhon acknowledged that Coffee with a Cop is not only a “good way to interact with the public, but a good way to come up with solutions.”

Hosting the event at a local coffee shop makes interactions simpler and less charged, Lara added. “Everyone loves coffee,” she said. “It’s easy to have an organic conversation.”

Said Moreland, “There’s no agenda, there’s no speeches. You can talk about anything.”

For more information about BPD, visit bart.gov/about/police.

BPD is hiring. Learn more about the department on bart.gov/about/police and explore employment opportunities at bart.gov/about/police/employment. The department is offering a $15,000 hiring bonus for laterals and academy graduates.