Fourth Coffee with a Cop event held at Wickham Woodland Manor

WARWICK — It was an opportunity for the Town of Warwick Police Department to hold the fourth "Coffee with a Cop" event with not only ordinary residents but also with the administrators of two Facebook groups, the "Warwick, NY Parents Group" and "You Know You're From Warwick, NY When..."
Both groups are an important source of information in the community.
And on Thursday, Sept. 29, representatives from the department met with the administrators of the two groups and about 30 local citizens at Wickham Woodland Manor, originally the Quality of Life Building, on the former site of the Mid-Orange Correctional facility.
The almost 3,700-square-foot building contains a complete new kitchen as well as renovated bathrooms and newly painted walls along with tables and chairs to accommodate 100 people.
The free event was sponsored by the Warwick Police Benevolent Association with coffee provided by Dunkin' Donuts.
It was another opportunity for residents to meet with Warwick Police Officers and to discuss their concerns.
Addressing the concerns of local residents at an informal sit-down, usually in a local café, has become a popular way for police and the citizens they serve to discuss community issues.
This fourth time event had its beginnings in California and then spread across the nation. On a national level, the mission of "Coffee with a Cop" is to break down the barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve.
Community residents can sit down with officers and ask questions or share what's on their mind. And in a short time, citizens and police officers get to know each other and discover mutual goals for the communities they live in and serve.
- Roger Gavan