Sunshine Coast RCMP officers will be available to speak with members of the public at a Sechelt coffee shop next Wednesday as an exercise in “breaking down barriers.”
The event, called “Tea with a Mountie,” will take place Dec. 14 for one hour starting at 10 a.m. at the Daily Roast Coffee Shop at 5580 Wharf Avenue.
“Sunshine Coast RCMP are excited to embark on a new initiative aimed at breaking down barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve,” said a Dec. 6 release.
The intention of the event is to “bring police officers and the community members they serve together to discuss issues and learn more about each other in a relaxed setting over tea or coffee,” said Cpl. Philip Atoui.
A similar initiative, called Coffee with a Cop, which was launched in California in 2011 by the Hawthorne Police Department, inspired Tea with a Mountie.
According to its website, Coffee with a Cop programs operate across the United States and has expanded into Canada and other countries.
Detachments in Langley, Coquitlam and Maple Ridge were among those in B.C. that organized events related to the community policing initiative in October. National Coffee with a Cop Day is observed Oct. 4.
