Imperial Valley Press

Calexico High hosts Coffee with a Cop

- BY JULIO MORALES Staff Writer

For two months running, Calexico High School has been home to a monthly Coffee with a Cop gathering, where students and community members are provided the opportunit­y to meet and speak with local law enforcemen­t officials in a relaxed setting.

The monthly event focus on raising the public’s awareness about the work that the Valley’s law enforcemen­t agencies do on a daily basis that impact youth, schools, and the community, said CHS Principal Gabrielle Williams.

“Our monthly Coffee with a Cop is simple yet important. It is designed to give community members an opportunit­y to come and talk about anything,” Williams said in a written statement. “There is no agenda. This is a great event that brings us all together as a community.”

On Friday, Calexico Police Department personnel were on hand to help answer any questions and concerns from the students and the public.

The gathering provided participat­ing parents with an opportunit­y to get to know their neighborho­od officers, who fielded questions about school safety, the Neighborho­od Watch program, the department’s Explorer program and safety measures employed by the police during emergency drills, Williams said.

During the campus’ inaugural event last month, about 40 members of the community had the opportunit­y to share some coffee and breakfast with U.S. Border Patrol agents.

The conversati­ons and events should help build safer and stronger communitie­s, said Agent Jonathan Pacheco.

“We hope that parents continue to have conversati­ons with their children on how they can be safe in a border town,” Pacheco said in a written statement.

Calexico High School will host its next Coffee with a Cop at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 9, at the main campus library. This event is open to the community.

 ?? OF GABRIELLE WILLIAMS ?? Calexico Police Department personnel are shown on Friday at Calexico High School during the campus’ Coffee with a Cop event. PHOTOS COURTESY
OF GABRIELLE WILLIAMS Calexico Police Department personnel are shown on Friday at Calexico High School during the campus’ Coffee with a Cop event. PHOTOS COURTESY

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