A&W hosts Coffee with a Cop

CRESCO -  A&W/Long John Silver’s hosted the first Coffee with a Cop event on Oct. 4 featuring members of the Cresco Police Department and Howard County Sheriff’s Department.

Police Chief Tim Ruroden noted the event was a helpful way for community residents to talk freely with members of the police and sheriff’s department.

“Our goal (for the event) is to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community,” Ruroden said. “We want to let people know that we both share the same concerns for the community. 

“We want to answer questions for people that need to be answered. (This event) is beneficial to both the community and to us. A lot of times with law enforcement, the (police) car separates us from the community, and we want people to know that we are approachable and that they can talk to us,” Ruroden said.

Sheriff Mike Miner said he is glad to be a part of the event.

“We want to meet the public,” Miner said. “Anytime we can meet people and talk to them, that’s a good thing. There are some negative things (nationally) about law enforcement, but when we can get a chance to visit with people and see what is on their minds, that’s a good thing for law enforcement.

“Having a cup of coffee as a program is a good idea. We can visit with people. A lot of people only visit with law enforcement when a negative thing happens, such as an accident. But here, people can sit down with us and talk about positive things. If they have questions about anything, they can ask us,” Miner added.