By Dan Murphy
Commissioner William Evans of the Boston Police Department joined district officers and neighborhood residents for “Coffee with a Cop” at the Grasshopper Café on May 17.
Each Wednesday, police visit a different city neighborhood in a casual setting where they can meet and hear from neighbors. Besides complimentary coffee, the department also distributes free mugs to those in attendence.
“Everyone has coffee so we try to find a neutral place where folks can get together with the police to talk,” said Kerry Ryan, director of community engagement and collaboration for the department’s Neighborhood Watch Unit.
Officer Robert Luongo of the District A-1 Community Service Office said, “It’s nice to have an informal way for police to interact with the community.”
Superintendent Nora Baston describes the coffee hours as “a great way for the community to get to know their district officers, and to continue building those relationships.”
City Councilor at-Large Annissa Essaibi-George said, “This is a great opportunity to get out and meet people in a different setting. Often, the police and the community meet under negative circumstances so this is a great opportunity for them to meet residents directly under good conditions.”