National Coffee with a Cop Day was celebrated around town on Wednesday, with the Naperville Police Department deciding to pair it with its Chat with the Chief initiative.
Coffee And A Chat
Officers could be found inside the Starbucks on Washington St., Dunkin Donuts on 95th St. and McDonalds on N. Route 59 with a cup of joe in hand, ready to meet and greet the public.
“I was just asked in there by one of the residents, ‘what’s one of your favorite things of your job?’’ said Naperville Police Chief, Jason Arres. “I said it was this, connecting with the community, explaining how we handle things and just that connection, how important that is. That’s what makes Naperville such a great city and what makes our police department such a great department.”
Traffic A Standout Issue
Though some residents wanted to discuss state-wide matters like the SAFE-T Act, the most common topic that came up was a local one.
“The biggest thing that’s brought up to me are traffic complaints,” said Chief Arres. “You know, different issues, because it’s their neighborhood and they’re concerned about the safety of the neighborhood and roadways. So it’s a lot of issues with traffic relating around that.”
Connections in the Community
“I really appreciate the community outreach,” said Naperville resident Rob Wolf. “I mean really I think community education and information is key to understanding your surroundings and understanding what’s going on in the community. For them to give us an opportunity to do that I think is a really nice program.”
More Chances To Chat
The NPD tries to have a Chat with the Chief event each quarter, with the next one happening at the beginning of 2023.
“It’s the partnership of the community and the police department working together to keep the town safe,” said Chief Arres. “What better way to teach the community that, then at events like this.”
Naperville News 17’s Joe Kennedy reports.
