Clarksburg PD reaches out to community with ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event

Posted: Jul 24, 2021 / 06:17 PM EDT / Updated: Jul 24, 2021 / 06:19 PM EDT

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The Clarksburg Police Department held an event with the community on Saturday morning called “Coffee with a Cop.” This was the second time the department had an event like this, this time at the VA Park.

After a successful first run of the event in March, the city wanted to allow residents to sit down and get to know local law enforcement. It felt that creating the foundation of a relationship on a personal level would help both residents and the police department. Over a catered breakfast, residents had the opportunity to talk face-to-face with police officers, giving them a platform to not only form relationships, but also inform about any safety concerns going on around the city.

“We don’t solve problems unless we know what the issues are within a community. Without their input, we can’t help,” said Police Chief Mark Kiddy.

Kiddy said the city was encouraged by the response from the community at the events held with the police department, and could expand the concept for other public service departments going forward.