The West End Police are involved in a new global initiative called Coffee with a Cop, a community engagement program that started in the US, and has been adopted by the Queensland Police Service. The first two Coffee with a Cop meet ups took place at SOL Breads in Vulture Street in February 2020. “We are planning on doing Coffee with a Cop about once a fortnight, in various locations around West End,” said West End Community Beat officer, Senior Constable Sandrene (Sandi) Trembath. “We have a number of local cafes that are on board. The idea is that people get their own coffee, and it’s an opportunity to talk to local police,” she said.
“People rarely get the opportunity to talk to police in a relaxed forum, so topics can vary from home security, to keeping teenagers safe, to neighbours dealing drugs or having noisy parties. Some people want to know how to help others — like those who are homeless or mentally unwell; others may ask about how to help a friend experiencing domestic violence. I find people are often reluctant to call on police for assistance, so they generally have a number of questions in their heads they’ve never had the opportunity to ask — Coffee with a Cop is the perfect place for those unanswered questions,” Trembath said
“West End has a very diverse demographic; some people love us, while others hate us. This can make it a challenging area to police especially when attempting to help people who can have varying needs and levels of vulnerability. This was highlighted during a recent Coffee with a Cop at SOL Bakery and Café when protesters attended with large signs expressing their issues. Juggling their presence whilst talking to parents walking children to school was challenging. We received amazing feedback from locals who were glad to see us and happy to chat about a range of issues. I’m hoping that Coffee with a Cop will reduce some of the negative attitudes and improve relationships,” Trembath said.
“Talking to people during a crisis, especially if they are intoxicated and or upset is never ideal. The idea of Coffee with a Cop is to create a platform to engage with the community in a relaxed environment rather than during a crisis. It’s also a good opportunity to talk to people about how to report and who to call for what,” she said. “It also a good way for people to talk to police about what’s going on in the area and help prevent or reduce crime.” The number of people attending meet ups can vary between 10 and 40, says Trembath, depending on the location, time of day, weather and foot traffic. “Getting the balance right is important. If there are too many people, we can’t talk to everyone; and if there are too many police and not enough community members, people think some type of police operation is going on and stay away!” The Coronavirus shutdowns have paused the initiative, however Coffee with a Cop will resume in West End once the threat has passed.
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