Coffee with a Cop in Calexico
On the way to visit his mother, Cesar Chow and his daughter Anna stopped at Starbucks in Calexico expecting to get their usual orders.
When a Calexico police officer greeted them at the entrance, they knew it wasn’t going to be any ordinary coffee stop.
“It was a good surprise, I’m glad I learned something new,” commented Anna, who didn’t expect to discuss her and her father’s concerns with a law enforcement officer Tuesday evening.
Seven Calexico Police Department officers made their way to the franchise coffee shop on Imperial Avenue for the second annual Coffee with a Cop event, hoping to connect with the community in a much more personal way.
As former Calexico residents, Chow and his daughter were concerned with the recent shortage of officers to protect the city, although Officer Celia Romero assured the two that the department is slowly but surely trying to get their staff back.
“We wanted to put our name out there and let the community know that we’re not just here to arrest people. We’re also people that you can interact with,” explained Romero on the purpose of the event.
Romero discussed topics such as the rise of car thefts in the city, areas of the community that are in need of extra patrol and questions on how to join law enforcement throughout the six people she spoke with.
“This is another stepping stone to broaden our community-based service. We want people to know we’re here for them,” said Sgt. Victor E. Legaspi, Jr.