Cops, community to gather for coffee

Part of Amanda Spurgeon’s job as manager and community captain at Target on West Kettleman Lane is to come up with new events to bring Lodians together.

In fall 2016, she reached out to Sgt. Kevin Kent of the Lodi Police Department to bring the community together with law enforcement officers at her store, allowing citizens to get to know their police a little better, while also learning about staying safe during the holiday shopping season, a time that Spurgeon says usually experiences more instances of theft than the rest of the year.

“About two weeks before Black Friday last year, Lodi police came out to speak about public safety — don’t leave things in your car, use the buddy system, how to prevent shoplifting and vehicle break-ins — around the Christmas shopping season,” Spurgeon said.

With around 100 interactions between citizens and police officers near the store’s entrance, the first Brew With the Blue was so successful that Spurgeon recommended it to Target’s district office. This Friday, at 11 a.m., officers will meet with their communities at Target stores across the district for coffee and snacks, just as they did in Lodi the year before. And just as before, Cabo the K-9 will be there to greet guests, along with other, two-legged members of the Lodi Police Department.

“The thing that I enjoyed the most last year was seeing kids excited to meet police officers. Well, the kids were mostly excited to meet our K9, who will be out there again this year. This year, we look forward to the Lodi Fire Department joining us,” Kent said in an email.

Lodi’s Target will also host the Lodi Fire Department’s Fill the Boot Campaign in October, although Spurgeon says she’s still finalizing the specifics for that event.

Target is located at 2355 W. Kettleman Lane, Lodi.