Columbia Police Department hosts Coffee with a Cop

Officers from the Columbia Police Department and members of the community met at Panera Bread at the Columbia Mall Wednesday night for an informal gathering.

It was CPD’s third and last Coffee with a Cop event for 2016.

About a dozen residents sat down with the officers to ask questions and learn more about how the department operates in Columbia neighborhoods.

“It gives people a little more insight on what we do,” said Officer Scott Lenger, an officer within the department’s Community Outreach Unit. “We can address concerns that they may have that we may not see otherwise unless we are specifically called out.”

The department said Coffee was a Cop allows officers and the community to interact and build relationships in a more relaxed environment.

Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by The United States Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

CPD also held Coffee with a Cop on Nov. 17 at Lucky’s Market and on Oct. 7 at the McDonald’s on Smiley Lane.