Today the Seattle Police Department in partnership with Starbucks, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) launched the expansion of Coffee with a Cop, an initiative designed to encourage conversation and connection between police officers and community.
“Community trust is critical to effective policing,” said Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole. “Trust can only be achieved through ongoing engagement and dialogue. We are grateful to Starbucks for this opportunity to build greater trust and understanding between our officers and those we serve.”
“Now more than ever, it is so important that we continue to get out and engage the community,” said NOBLE National President and Seattle Police Assistant Chief Perry Tarrant. “This week there are over 200 law enforcement executives meeting in Seattle for the NOBLE Symposium to discuss topics like improving community engagement. Coffee with a Cop is an opportunity to break down walls and build community over a cup of coffee. NOBLE is proud be part of this initiative and I’m thankful to community partners like Starbucks for providing the support to help foster this conversation.”
Today, at the NOBLE symposium, Starbucks announced plans to provide additional support of Coffee with a Cop by hosting 100 events across its U.S. stores within the year. Starbucks will partner with NOBLE, the IACP and MCCA to kick off the first of these events in five cities – Dallas, Indianapolis, New York, Norfolk, and Seattle.
“Starbucks has always served as a gathering place for communities across the country to come together – including law enforcement and the people they serve and protect,” said Starbucks Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz. “The “Coffee with a Cop” program builds on a tradition that began in our stores and continues to grow each day. We are pleased to host meetings in our stores across the U.S. where police and the community can meet and share experiences to foster greater understanding and empathy.”
Local Seattle Coffee with a Cop dates and locations are currently being finalized and will be announced in the coming weeks.